I remember how we used to call them Socialist-Democrats. One chuckles to recall those days:
Today, Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee Dave Camp (R-MI) released a letter from the non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) confirming that the failure to comply with the individual mandate to buy health insurance contained in the Pelosi health care bill (H.R. 3962, as amended) could land people in jail. The JCT letter [PDF] makes clear that Americans who do not maintain “acceptable health insurance coverage” and who choose not to pay the bill’s new individual mandate tax (generally 2.5% of income), are subject to numerous civil and criminal penalties, including criminal fines of up to $250,000 and imprisonment of up to five years.
The Civil penalties are a peach in their own right, so don’t miss those.
In response to the JCT letter, Camp said: “This is the ultimate example of the Democrats’ command-and-control style of governing – buy what we tell you or go to jail. It is outrageous and it should be stopped immediately.”
“Criminal penalties
Prosecution is authorized under the Code for a variety of offenses. Depending on the level of the noncompliance, the following penalties could apply to an individual:
• Section 7203 – misdemeanor willful failure to pay is punishable by a fine of up to $25,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year.
• Section 7201 – felony willful evasion is punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment of up to five years.” [page 3]
When confronted with this same issue during its consideration of a similar individual mandate tax, the Senate Finance Committee worked on a bipartisan basis to include language in its bill that shielded Americans from civil and criminal penalties. The Pelosi bill, however, contains no similar language protecting American citizens from civil and criminal tax penalties that could include a $250,000 fine and five years in jail.
By what constitutional authority? Not by constitutional authority at all; by Democrat authority.
Comment by Carin on 11/7 @ 6:21 am #
Isn’t it that bit about securing the health and welfare? You know, the constitution really needs to brush up on what the government can do TO you.
Comment by JHo on 11/7 @ 6:25 am #
Talk about prescient, Carin; the signer dudes even put that unlimited power thing in the preamble.
Comment by Carin on 11/7 @ 6:40 am #
Stupid Jho. The Constitution doesn’t have a preamble. That’s in the Declaration of Independence.
I’m gonna be laughing at the one all day.
Comment by Rusty on 11/7 @ 7:03 am #
2012 may be too late. I don’t know which is more disturbing. The fact that thay think I’m dumb, or the fact thay they are stupid incarnated. Both, I think.
Trackback by PunditKix on 11/7 @ 8:04 am #
Letter to Dave Camp: Pelosi: Buy a $15,000 Policy or Go to Jail. [JHoward]…
Thank you for submitting this cool story – Trackback from PunditKix…
Comment by Kresh on 11/7 @ 9:03 am #
…and people still believe that they’re doing it to help people? Accept our ideas or go to jail? This seems familiar! I wonder where? Oh! I know!
Fuck Godwin. These people are NAZIS. Hell, they make NAZIS look like confused people who happened to find themselves in charge of a European country after waking up from a nap.
Hey Media, have you noticed that the mask hasn’t just slipped, but is actually lying on the floor? Of course, it is had to see their face when you’ve got Obama’s cock in your mouth. You could, you know, turn your head once in a while and try to notice what’s going on.
*facepalm*
Comment by OCBill on 11/7 @ 9:30 am #
It’s the commerce clause. It’s all powerful and can mean anything the government wants it to mean. The “Commerce Clause” decisions effectively abolished the idea of the “State” as separate from the Federal government. Kelo effectively abolished personal property, since the government can now seize property for essentially any reason at all. “Hate crimes” are the vanguard of other “thought crimes”. INGSOC, here we come.
Comment by JD on 11/7 @ 9:32 am #
Next up, everyone will have an individual mandate to purchase a new Chevy.
Comment by geoffb on 11/7 @ 9:59 am #
In 40 years or so that “New Chevy” can be put to a good use.
Comment by SBP on 11/7 @ 10:00 am #
So is this an either situation or both? If I have “acceptable health insurance coverage”, do I also have to pay the 2.5%?
‘Cause, you know, I’m happy with what I’ve got, and Barky promised me I could keep it if I liked it.
If I get forced into paying this shit I’m going to be making (or at least attempting to make) about five appointments per week. Hey, hangnails can get infected, you know. My toes feel a little itchy. Could be athlete’s foot setting in. Also, I think I’d prefer that a trained audiologist handle specialist jobs, such earwax removal.
Comment by sdferr on 11/7 @ 10:04 am #
You know, Pyrrhus at least had the wit to understand the meaning of his triumph. Mrs. Pelosi won’t (should she succeed). Just watch, she will celebrate as though some great thing has happened.
Comment by No one you know on 11/7 @ 10:38 am #
The best part of the constitutional argument — the part where the left files suit because this does NOT cover, errrmmmm, undocumented workers.
Comment by JHo on 11/7 @ 10:51 am #
Immediately after which the US Constitution is found to violate the UN’s Declaration of Rights and the US itself is outlawed. Retroactively.
Comment by Timstigator on 11/7 @ 10:56 am #
Obey
Comment by SBP on 11/7 @ 11:17 am #
Our would-be masters are “debating” this on C-SPAN right now.
Comment by geoffb on 11/7 @ 11:30 am #
What the Pelosi Health-Care Bill Really Says by Betsy McCaughey and ObamaCare’s Redistribution of Health at PJM h/t Maggie’s Farm.
Comment by happyfeet on 11/7 @ 11:37 am #
That the bitch whore from San Francisco can propose this without fear of losing her seat or worse means… we’re in big trouble. That’s who we are, then, no? A little country where it’s socially acceptable to hold liberty in contempt and not just acceptable, applauded and feted by your NPR and Newsweek and New York Times propaganda squads.
There’s a healthy healthy streak of fascism in our little country is what this means. If this passes we’re definitely not a little country with values anyone in this world should emulate. A sick little third world country of diseased fascists. It almost seems inevitable now just cause of it being a vision the bitch whore and her minions can so fearlessly espouse. If this shit passes we’re definitely not who we thought we were and not much of the invective what the losers in our little world have hurled at us in the past will be terribly inapt I don’t think.
Comment by SBP on 11/7 @ 11:45 am #
I just set up a live chat thingie if anyone is interested.
http://www.coveritlive.com/index.php?option=com_altcaster&task=siteviewaltcast&altcast_code=189a7103eb
Comment by geoffb on 11/7 @ 11:48 am #
Ah, Section 804 of HR 1, the Stimulus bill stirs itself and begins it’s journey to becoming our version of the British NICE. Dr. Zeke should be so proud of this child born of his forehead.
Comment by Jeff Y. on 11/7 @ 1:44 pm #
Big business gets a bailout. Citizens get jailed if they don’t buy big business products. Anyone noticing a pattern here?
Comment by Steve walser on 11/7 @ 4:06 pm #
I urge all of you to call today ( as in right now!!) at least one of the congress people listed on the gop.com site as still able to be swayed on the health care fiasco. I called Congressmen Boyd, Baird, and Minnick and Congresswomen Mc Morris Rogers, and Kosmas today. All had staffers on duty and I politely informed them how strongly I urged them to vote no. I was surprised but everyone but Baird said they were going to vote no.
McMorris Rogers is a Rep and reps my district but the rest are Dems for districts that I have ties to.
Call a couple and do your bit. Lets stop this while we still can. These calls DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!! Call now.
Comment by meya on 11/9 @ 2:17 pm #
Unbelievable that we have reached the point where not paying taxes will land you in jail.
Comment by JD on 11/9 @ 2:32 pm #
meya/RD is back to its habit of going back to dead thread and leaving a final nuggest of mendacity. Fuck off you lying fascist anti-semite.
Comment by Pablo on 11/9 @ 3:13 pm #
It’s unbelievable that we’ve gotten to where you could get taxed for not buying something. Something that, coincidentally, the government will be in the business of selling.
Comment by Squid on 11/9 @ 3:26 pm #
Is there any fascist program that meya won’t support?
Comment by Pablo on 11/9 @ 3:33 pm #
Pictures are programs? That’s pretty dumb, but you’re still gonna have to step up the stupid, meya. snowy is lapping you.
Comment by meya on 11/9 @ 3:40 pm #
They’re pictures…of a program. sigh.
Comment by Pablo on 11/9 @ 4:19 pm #
Sigh, indeed.