The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Democrats Kill Amendment to Exempt Middle-Class Families from Mandate Tax

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The Spectacle Blog

Democrats Kill Amendment to Exempt Middle-Class Families from Mandate Tax

By Philip Klein on 10.1.09 @ 11:55AM

Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday killed an amendment proposed by Sen. John Ensign that would have exempted middle-class families from paying a tax for failing to obtain health insurance. The amendment was shot down 12-11, with Sen. Blanche Lincoln the lone Democrat voting in favor.

Committee Chairman Max Baucus argued that adopting the amendment would effectively mean that people earning under $200,000 would not have to purchase health coverage, thus undermining a key provision of his health care proposal.

Under the current Baucus proposal, individuals would face a tax of at least $750 if they do not purchase health coverage. And while the proposal would provide subsidies to lower-income Americans, those subsidies would stop at 300 percent of the federal poverty level. What that means is that a family of four with a household income above $66,150 would face a tax of $1,900 if it does not obtain health insurance, while an individual with income above $32,490 would face a tax of $950.

View all comments (5) | Leave a comment

Ken (Old Texican)| 10.1.09 @ 12:29PM

Mr. Klein
So the heck what?

Most every one here hates the whole concept. When are you guys going to start suggesting things we can do, right now, to stop all this nonsense?

I have some ideas that truly will work. Do you guys?

Philip Klein| 10.1.09 @ 12:49PM

You can start with these:

http://spectator.org/archives/.....out-health

http://www.heartland.org/full/.....ctice.html

philfl63| 10.1.09 @ 10:19PM

Mr. Klein,

Who the F**K do these corrupt a**holes think they are. First and foremost the only healthcare crisis that needs reform is the one created by the government's meddling/intervention in our nation's healthcare system. That is remedied by the gov't getting out of our healthcare system completely except for the military and VA. The gov't has no business being involved in your, my, anyone's healthcare, and for these cretinous wretches such as Max Baucus who would be philosopher kings over us little people a good case of hemorrhoids is called for. Nor do our employers have business being involved in our healthcare except for on the job injury. There was a time when the gov't was not involved in this very personal aspect of our lives. The so- called poor can use county and charity hospitals as they did in my grandmother's time.
I read your highlighted columns. Thanks for your time.

links of london Rings| 10.21.09 @ 1:31AM

It was a very nice idea! Just wanna say thank you for the information you have shared. Just continue writing this kind of post. I will be your loyal reader. Thanks again.

gany| 1.12.10 @ 7:54AM

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