EDITORIAL: Robbing Peter to pay Paul's health care

The Washington Times ^

[Kenny]

Obamacare is a socialist law designed to take money from some Americans and use it to benefit others. The health care bill signed into law by President Obama is full of hidden time bombs. One costly provision buried in the lengthy reconciliation bill at the last minute has taxpayers covering long-term at-home care for the elderly. Through the so-called Community Living Assistance Services and Support Act (CLASS Act), Americans will find between $150 and $250 taken out of their paychecks each month to cover this program nobody knew about.

Democrats claim this isn't a controversial program, but if they really believed that, they wouldn't have had to sneak the provision into the reconciliation bill. But it was snuck in the reconciliation bill only two days before the House vote.

Robbing Peter to pay Paul's health care

[Kenny]

Democrats might not consider $109 billion in taxes over the program's first 10 years to be controversial. But taking $150 to $250 out of each monthly paycheck will cause problems for millions of Americans.

They're killing us!

[ajay_kumar]

That is the definition of SOCIALISM

[SkyPilot]

There has to be some way to repeal, de-fund, or stop this madness.

What the Democrats are committing is treason and tyranny.

[Rushmore Rocks]

My dear old Dad always told me that, “When you rob Peter to pay Paul, all you get is a sore peter.”

[Qwackertoo]

Good in a bad sorta way. I can’t wait until the Obama voters start getting those smaller paychecks and realize elections have real consequences and they get to help pay for them.

I realize many of the Obama voters are amongst the 49% or whatever percent that don’t pay taxes though.

[businessprofessor]

This program is voluntary at least for now. As I understand, you will only be charged premiums if you enroll. This program continues the fraudulent practice of spending money that should be saved. In the private sector, premiums must be saved to pay future liabilities. The rats claim the premiums offset the health care program’s costs in the first 10 years. The rats should be jailed for fraudulent accounting.

The other problem with this program is that it is subject to political manipulation. Low income individuals pay nomimal premiums (another welfare program). Undoubtedly, there will be a huge cry for increased benefits over time. There is also a severe adverse selection problem with this program. I look for the Democrats to force everyone into it in the next 5 or 10 years.

[opentalk]

bttt

[kdot]

True, it’s voluntary. But I thought I read that every employee was automatically enrolled and it was your responsibility to opt out. Does anyone have timelines on this so we know when to look for it?

[a real Sheila]

LOL!

[a real Sheila]

Oh, but there were PLENTY of dumbasses who voted for him who WILL be paying up!
They are going to be P.O.’d.

Somehow the media will blame Bush.

[Rushmore Rocks]

Now, I’m a bit embarrassed for posting that. But I do think it is true.

[Jack Hammer]

“...a socialist law designed to take money from some Americans and use it to benefit others.”

So what’s new? This has been going on since the Lincoln administration. You didn’t really believe all that stuff in the constitution, did you?

[Boardwalk]

Well my health insurance just went up 5%.

[DrC]

“I thought I read that every employee was automatically enrolled and it was your responsibility to opt out.”

Quite right: this illustrates the “nudge” philosophy that pervades this administration. The administration is counting on millions of Americans to be too stupid or lazy to opt out.

If they had used an “opt-in” approach, CLASS enrollment would be far lower than projected, but that of course would have resulted in a much lower “revenue surplus” in the first 10 years. As it was surplus CLASS revenues essentially accounted for half of the alleged budget surplus that CBO originally expected Obamacare to create in its first decade.