Obamacare and the Individual Mandate: Correct Me If I'm Wrong

When I first started learning about Obamacare back when it was passed (in what, 2010? Sheesh, that's a long time), one of my biggest gripes was the idea that I was forced to buy something - and penalized for refusing to do so.

The penalty will be $695 per uninsured (or underinsured) adult in 2016. Plus kids. For me, that will total thousands of dollars for not purchasing a qualified health plan.

But the way I see it, nobody's forcing me to buy anything. Because ultimately, I won't have to pay the penalty.

You see, the new law tasks the IRS with collecting the penalty from the uninsured. However, to this end the IRS is NOT authorized to do anything but 1) withhold any tax refunds due; and 2) ask for the money.

That's it. They can't seize property, place liens, garnish wages or other conduct other more forceful tactics.Which means that as long as the federal government doesn't owe me money, they can't penalize me for not playing ball.

So that's my word of advice to anyone who doesn't want to participate in Obamacare: Withhold enough taxes from your paycheck to avoid any refunds. And you're in the clear.

Am I wrong? If so, I would love to know.

Giving to Charity? That's a Taxing.

When times are hard, people are out of work, and charitable giving takes on an especially significant role in caring for the needy--what is one of the worst things a government can do?

Tax charitable donations.

Yet this is precisely what President Obama has proposed. Taxing charitable donations from those who can actually afford to give more. His proposal would affect individuals earning $200K and married couples earning $250K. This amounts to a greater tax penalty for married couples than for single individuals.

I think Obama has covered his bases when it comes to doing harm: the very poor, the charitable organizations and the institute of marriage.

I can't conceive the levels of hubris required to even suggest such an idea. I can only wonder if this scheme is simply a red herring to take the focus away from the rest of Obama's disastrous budget plans.

I recommend that anyone reading this contact their representatives in Washington and tell them to abandon this absurdity when it comes to a vote.

Michigan Governor Granholm Disgusts Me

Michigan must raise taxes – by a LOT – or "people will die." That's the message from our ineffectual, gutless leader in Lansing. She's referring to proposed cuts to Medicaid to help balance a bloated state budget with a $700 million shortfall. It's the basest, most incendiary rhetoric in the book--and she uses it with abandon in every declaration du jour.

"Cut welfare spending, and PEOPLE WILL GO HUNGRY AND DIE."

"Cut education spending, and PEOPLE WILL BE DUMB AND DIE."

"Cut highway spending, and PEOPLE WILL HAVE ACCIDENTS AND DIE."

"Cut any form of spending whatsoever, and PEOPLE WILL DIE."

Or some variation on that theme.

So yes, let's not cut spending. Let's raise taxes. Provide incentive for people and businesses to leave the state. Shrink the economy, thereby reducing state revenue. And instigate new tax hikes to cover the shortfall.

And guess what. When that happens, PEOPLE WILL STILL DIE.

I'm disgusted.

I'm Surrounded By Morons

Pop quiz. Here's the situation. Unions dominate the marketplace, causing massive layoffs and economic shrinkage. The state's major metro is run by clowns. The real estate market is in steep decline. Citizens are cash-strapped.

What do you do?

If you're the Democrat-controlled state legislature, you promise tax hikes and an iPod for every public school student.

That sounds like a lame joke, but it's totally true.

Is there no level of selfishness and ignorance these leftist politicians won't exploit? I mean, there are LOTS of brainless, spineless sheep out here in Michigan who actually elect these people to office. Michigan has definitely dug its own hole, and the deeper I look into it, the more disgusting I find the slosh at the bottom of it.

Read all about the idiocy here.

Too bad such a beautiful state has such morons running the place.