Posted on 06/30/2012 12:11:29 AM PDT by John Semmens
Press Secretary Jay Carney sought to get out ahead of the GOP's campaign rhetoric alleging that Obamacare is a huge tax imposed on the middle class.
“There's no way this is a tax,” Carney insisted. “The President doesn't call it a tax. The legislation doesn't say it's a tax. Calling it a tax is idiotic. The President has made it quite clear that the $2,000 a person has to pay for refusing to buy health insurance is a punishment for disobedience, not a tax.”
The fact that the Supreme Court decision upholding Obamacare was founded on Chief Justice John Roberts' finding that the so-called penalty is a tax is irrelevant, according to Carney. “Roberts' convoluted logic isn't binding on anything,” Carney said. “All that matters is that the Court voted to sustain the law. Whatever reasons he or any other Justice might give are irrelevant.”
To further bolster his case against Obamacare being a tax, Carney cited the waivers granted by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “Secretary Sebelius has no authority to waive taxes,” Carney pointed out. “She does, however, have the authority to excuse persons from complying with the mandate. Those who think the mandate is oppressive ought to be trying to get on her good side. I don't think that castigating the Affordable Care Act for political advantage is a course likely to achieve that.”
Thus far, Sebelius has issued over 1,000 waivers—most of them to organizations and businesses supporting the Administration's political agenda.
In related news, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (R) suggested that, based on the Court's decision, the government might mandate the consumption of tofu or the purchase of a Chevy Volt under threat of being assessed a penalty for noncompliance. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) dismissed such fears as “misplaced. It is the government's job to promote the general welfare. If eating healthier food and driving non-polluting vehicles is deemed the appropriate way of promoting that welfare who is Mr. Jindal to say that the government shouldn't penalize those who won't cooperate?”
if you missed any of this week's other semi-news posts you can find them at...
http://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Opinion/114163-2012-06-29-semi-news-a-satire-of-recent-news-july-1-2012.htm
‘”The President has made it quite clear that the $2,000 a person has to pay for refusing to buy health insurance is a punishment for disobedience, not a tax.”
Money quote.’
YOU BETCHA! “[D]isobedience,” no less. Imperial presidency, indeed. I’d get that into an ad, fast.
I'm not so sure. If the media says it's not a tax, that means the media has to agree with Scalia that it's not a tax. The mainstream media doesn't like to agree with Scalia and Thomas. I think most of the media will agree with Roberts that it is a tax so that they don't have to side with Scalia.
I disagree because the media knows that what is not reported is not so - like Fast And Furious. They do not have to report anything that Scalia said just. I think that could be their approach. We'll have to wait and see but we know their ultimate goal is to protect Obama and if that means siding with Scalia they will. They would side with Ronald Reagan if it meant another 4 years of Obama.
They still think that they are the only source out there for the news. It's an insult to our intelligence.
You could very well be right.
Personally, I think Scalia and the other conservatives are right and that it is a penalty and not a tax. If the media says it’s not a tax, this will be one of the rare times that I agree with the media.
We’ll see. ;-)
My “I disagree” I wanted to change to something a bit more softer but I clicked send too quickly. You made some good points also. We’ll have to wait and see. Like you, I have no trust in the media. There’s no telling what they will do.
That’s NOT a problem. It’s the truth. Only the NAME of the rose has changed.
Laugh?
Cry?
...
Good one, John. It helps ease the pain.
In related news, in anticipation of semi-satire-induced insubordination, Chief Justice Roberts left a message with his staff that anyone reading Semmens' column this week will be taxed (or whatever) from their jobs .
Another fine column John!
.
“Did anyone ask why the Obama lawyer argued it was a tax in front of the Supreme Court?”
Most folks seem to have missed that point. Obama’s lawyer tried it both ways during oral arguments.
John, another great satire, and thanks again for the ping.
good one
It’s a problem for those who want claim that the Democrats and their media buddies are just spinning when they say it’s not a tax. After all, the other conservative justices said the exact same thing. And if you read their dissent it’s pretty clear that they’re right.
Indeed.
Up is down, bad is good, its now a Bizarro World.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
You forgot that hot is cold.
Of course it is idiotic. It is an idiocy promulgated for the express purpose of turning a sow’s ear into a different kind of sow’s ear.
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