"Nothing has been more damaging to rational discourse about economic policy than the notion, peddled relentlessly by Republican conservatives and accepted by too many centrist Democrats, that raising taxes is always and everywhere bad for the economy." (7/29/2009).We very much agree. Unfortunately, once again, right-wing conservatives have muddled (we hate to use the word "lied") about both taxes and our nation's need to make health care affordable for all, using bad information to scare people about health care reform.
We urge you to read Pearlstein's column -- detail by detail, at "Health Reform Threatened by Conservatives' Anti-Tax Fantasy" to get the truth about the benefits of President Obama's campaign to improve affordable access to health care for the hardworking people who make up our nation's middle class.
To get you started, see below for facts particularly important to rural families:
- Small business benefits from health care reform. Right now -- for those small businesses (50% of all small businesses) who offer insurance to their employees, they pay on the average about 20% more than does big business.
- Proposed tax surcharge applies only to families earning more than $350,000 a year (House proposal).
- Tax credits offered to small businesses with low-wage workers (House proposal).
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For the Blog readers, who do not have access to Mr Pearlstein literally analysis, I will try to summarize his commentary below.
1) Anyone making $350,000 or more will be taxed. Apparently Steven Pearlstein does not make $350,000; ergo, our elite city dweller, Mr. Pearlstein, will not be burden supporting our healthcare in rural America.
2) Per Mr. Pearlstein the bulk of the proposed health surtax would be paid by doctors, lawyers, investment bankers, corporate executives, and people with lots of investment income.
This is logical for only a progressive conservative could dream up this tax scheme:
a) Government taxes doctors and then government uses the taxes from the doctors to pay the doctor for more health care. The doctor makes more money, the government taxes. I think this make sense
b) Patients sue their doctor and then the government uses the taxes from the lawyers and patient to pay the doctor. I think this makes sense also.
c) Investment bankers invest in new companies; however, no new companies, no new jobs, but more patients for the doctor to make more money. Get the picture.
d) I assume corporate executives include ball players, singers, writers, directors, movie stars, and television personalities, as there are few if any manufacturing jobs left in America. However, entertainers really do not work, they only run around playing and singing for their millions, so we should tax them.
e) There are trillions in investments made by parents when jobs, employment, and Capitalism were cool. Now unemployment, welfare, and socialism are the in thing; therefore, we should confiscate the investment income of our parents and grandparents. Also the 401k’s of the working stiffs. 401k’s were never taxed, it is about time we taxed them also.
3) Mr. Pearlstein halfheartedly agrees that instead of taxing, it may be better to cut cost within the existing health expenditures if only politicians had the will.
a) Congress exempted themselves from Universal Health Reform. Apparently, our Representatives could not bring themselves to sit in the same medical waiting room as the American people.
b) The president was asked in a town hall if he and the presidential family would participate in the public health care option. The president stated that there was no need to change for everyone will have the same gold plated care as government officials. A gold plated public health plan is nice, but why do we need two gold plated health plans. I would think one plan would be cheaper.
c) Congress is cutting cost within the existing health expenditures. Congress cut over a half a trillion out of the Medicare budget even while Medicare enrollment is increasing at 30%. If grandma breaks her hip, the president stated that it might be better to giver her pain pills. I assume this is gold plated treatment.
d) Congress did not cut everything. It will be mandatory for our parents and grandparents to visit Hospice every five years to make a living will on how they want to die. Hospice will advise all the legal government methods available to help expedite their departure quietly and quickly. I assume that this is the same gold plated treatment that Federal government liberals have.
4) Mr. Pearlstein’s final point was the tax dollars would not disappear into the mattress, but would be used to provide health care to millions of Americans. The millions of Americans consist of:
a) one-fifth are illegal aliens
b) Three-fifths make $50,000 or more and can afford their own insurance
c) Just under a third are already eligible for Medicaid, SChip, and Medicare, but refuse to sign up.
d) This leaves about 2%, who are chronically uninsured, and after we implement gold plated universal health care, we still will have 2% uninsured per the president.
Oh well, can’t say Mr. Pearlstein haven’t tried. I remember my grandpa telling me about the progressive liberals who passed our current income tax in 1913 to tax the rich. Well we are still trying. Maybe in the next hundred years we can tax all of the money away from the greedy rich.
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