Taxing Health Benefits

[Smurf-Herder]

Obama may back taxing health benefits

WASHINGTON, March 15 (UPI) -- The Obama administration may support a move to tax employee health benefits as a way to finance an overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system, sources say.

Support for the idea would represent a turnabout for President Barack Obama, who last year criticized Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain of Arizona when he floated a similar idea, calling it "the largest middle-class tax increase in history," The New York Times (NYSE:NYT) reported Sunday.

Such benefits from employers are now tax-free, regardless of how generous they are or how much an employee earns, and any move to tax them would be opposed by union leaders who supported Obama's presidential campaign. But now, unnamed White House advisers told the newspaper that, while the president will not propose changing the tax-free status of employee health benefits himself, neither would he oppose it if Congress does so.

White House Budget Director Peter Orszag indicated at a recent congressional hearing that taxing health benefits "most firmly should remain on the table," the Times said.

Obama's own idea for paying for reform -- limiting income tax deductions for the most affluent taxpayers -- has encountered flak from congressional Democrats.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/03/15/Obama_may_back_taxing_health_benefits/UPI-99061237120596/

Hmmm......... I wonder what he'll flip-flop on next.

[BlackAsCoal]

Let me guess .. you voted for McCain.

He wanted to tax healthcare benefits.

McCain's Health Plan Could Mean Higher Taxes

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Though Senator John McCain has promised to not raise taxes, his campaign acknowledged Wednesday that the health plan he outlined this week would have the effect of increasing tax payments for some workers, primarily those with high incomes and expensive health plans.

The campaign cannot yet project how many taxpayers might see their taxes go up, said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Mr. McCain’s top domestic policy adviser. But Mr. Holtz-Eakin said in an interview that for some, Mr. McCain’s health care tax credits would not be large enough to compensate for his proposal to eliminate the tax breaks afforded to workers with employer-provided health benefits.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/us/politics/01mccain.html

Additionally, how about you posting where Obama or his administration has said anything about this other than it should remain on the table. It doesn't take much political acumen to recognize what "on the table" means.

[Smurf-Herder]

Let me guess .. you voted for McCain.

He wanted to tax healthcare benefits.

McCain's Health Plan Could Mean Higher Taxes

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Though Senator John McCain has promised to not raise taxes, his campaign acknowledged Wednesday that the health plan he outlined this week would have the effect of increasing tax payments for some workers, primarily those with high incomes and expensive health plans.

The campaign cannot yet project how many taxpayers might see their taxes go up, said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Mr. McCain’s top domestic policy adviser. But Mr. Holtz-Eakin said in an interview that for some, Mr. McCain’s health care tax credits would not be large enough to compensate for his proposal to eliminate the tax breaks afforded to workers with employer-provided health benefits.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/us/politics/01mccain.html

Additionally, how about you posting where Obama or his administration has said anything about this other than it should remain on the table. It doesn't take much political acumen to recognize what "on the table" means.


No, I didn't vote for McCain. And I was against it when he proposed it.

[BlackAsCoal]

No, I didn't vote for McCain. And I was against it when he proposed it.

Cool .. by your own acknowledgement, this was also proposed by the right, and McCain said he supports it .. Obama has not.

THAT is a serious distinction .. and it relegates this screaming about nothing into the trash heap of Acorn, Ayers, Muslim, Wright, birth certificate, socialist, and terrorist-loving bullshit.

IF they actually propose it .. then you'll have a point.

[Smurf-Herder]

Cool .. by your own acknowledgement, this was also proposed by the right, and McCain said he supports it .. Obama has not.

THAT is a serious distinction .. and it relegates this screaming about nothing into the trash heap of Acorn, Ayers, Muslim, Wright, birth certificate, socialist, and terrorist-loving bullshit.

IF they actually propose it .. then you'll have a point.


Right.

Obama said it would be the biggest tax ever levied against the middle class during the campaign and now he's not taking it off the table.

And I'd be bitching about McCain considering it if he were in Obama's place. Note - McCain said this before the economy went south, whereas Obama is still considering doing something he used to attack McCain for suggesting, for being such a bad idea.

[disrupter]

Employer based healthcare is like a completely unaccountable tumor.

Employees don't pay for it directly, so they don't worry about costs.
Employers see it as someone else's business & can't afford to hire consultants to scrutinized where insurer's are squandering money.

Employer based healthcare is crippling many industries in this country.
While these unaccountable parasite insurance companies get away with literal murder, by denying patient claims.

There is no accountability for insurance companies,
that has to change.

[MintJulep]

Employer based healthcare is like a completely unaccountable tumor.

Employees don't pay for it directly, so they don't worry about costs.
Employers see it as someone else's business & can't afford to hire consultants to scrutinized where insurer's are squandering money.

Employer based healthcare is crippling many industries in this country.
While these unaccountable parasite insurance companies get away with literal murder, by denying patient claims.

There is no accountability for insurance companies,
that has to change.You are completely clueless.

Have another swig of koolaid.

[Smurf-Herder]

Employer based healthcare is like a completely unaccountable tumor.

Employees don't pay for it directly, so they don't worry about costs.
Employers see it as someone else's business & can't afford to hire consultants to scrutinized where insurer's are squandering money.

Employer based healthcare is crippling many industries in this country.
While these unaccountable parasite insurance companies get away with literal murder, by denying patient claims.

There is no accountability for insurance companies,
that has to change.

First of all, that's why I don't have insurance - my employer didn't want to pay for it.

Secondly, you're telling me there is no government agency regulating insurance?

[Moby]

Obama may back taxing home gardens
Obama may back taxing candy handed out on Halloween
Obama may back taxing stupidity

I don't think he's actually stated, signed any legal documents or had his tattooed with anything that claims that he won't do the above so he may support those.

Great news work there :thumbsup: :lmao2:

[GetAClue]

Obama may back taxing home gardens
Obama may back taxing candy handed out on Halloween
Obama may back taxing stupidity

I don't think he's actually stated, signed any legal documents or had his tattooed with anything that claims that he won't do the above so he may support those.

Great news work there :thumbsup: :lmao2:

So by all means, let's not have on opinion until the tax is actually levied on us? SM, you talk all the time about "sheep" following the pundits. However, you are so far up BHO's rear end that calling you a sheep of BHO would be an insult to Sheep!

Just that fact that BHO is considering a plan that he was so adamantly against during the campaign shows how despicable and disingenuous this man really is. Hope and Change? Gyp and Fraud!

[BlackAsCoal]

Right.

Obama said it would be the biggest tax ever levied against the middle class during the campaign and now he's not taking it off the table.

And I'd be bitching about McCain considering it if he were in Obama's place. Note - McCain said this before the economy went south, whereas Obama is still considering doing something he used to attack McCain for suggesting, for being such a bad idea.

In other words, you have nothing but what you think Obama might do, although he's never said he would do it. Because it's "on the table" is the cause for your alarm.

Amazing

It does not take much political acumen to interpret "on the table" in a centrist administration. He's a centrist, thus all kinds of stupid shit is "on the table" in his doomed to failure attempts to accomodate the right .. and since this proposal came from the right, leaving it "on the table" gives the appearance of "bi-partisanship" another really dumb concept.

As I've said before, if the Obama Adminsitration actually supports the idea of taxing healthcare benefits, then you'll actually have a point. Until then, it's just scrapping for relevance.

[MintJulep]

I don't understand what taxing healthcare benefits means. Can someone explain? Does it mean taxing the amount employeres/employees pay for their group insurance and taxing what others pay for their individual plans, raising the cost even more?

[doctordog]

I don't understand what taxing healthcare benefits means. Can someone explain? Does it mean taxing the amount employeres/employees pay for their group insurance and taxing what others pay for their individual plans, raising the cost even more?

yes, it is punishment for those working who have employer provided healthcare. It is just another way to break the middle class.

[GetAClue]

yes, it is punishment for those working who have employer provided healthcare. It is just another way to break the middle class.

BHO stated during the campaign that he wanted those with the most wealth to pay their fair share. Those with the most wealth being the rich amongst us.

Funny, now I am starting to think that by rich, he means anyone with a job.

[Smurf-Herder]

In other words, you have nothing but what you think Obama might do, although he's never said he would do it. Because it's "on the table" is the cause for your alarm.

Amazing

It does not take much political acumen to interpret "on the table" in a centrist administration. He's a centrist, thus all kinds of stupid shit is "on the table" in his doomed to failure attempts to accomodate the right .. and since this proposal came from the right, leaving it "on the table" gives the appearance of "bi-partisanship" another really dumb concept.

As I've said before, if the Obama Adminsitration actually supports the idea of taxing healthcare benefits, then you'll actually have a point. Until then, it's just scrapping for relevance.


It's relevent if both the left and right networks are questioning it.

Centrist? What's centrist about anything he's done so far?

Appointing a few conservatives and hawks just for show?

All the military commanders in Iraq wanted a longer pullout time than he told them to go with. Is that centrist? No, it's foolish going against all the people that know more about it that him.

Centrist spending?

Just WTF do you think is centrist about this guy?

[Smurf-Herder]

yes, it is punishment for those working who have employer provided healthcare. It is just another way to break the middle class.

What I think is hilarious is, wasn't this guy talking about tax breaks for employers as an incentive to provide insurance for their employees a few months ago?

Giving with one hand, while taking with the other.

I think the idea is, make sure everyone has insurance, so he has more people to tax for having it. A new slush fund, complimenting Social Security and Medicare.

[doctordog]

What I think is hilarious is, wasn't this guy talking about tax breaks for employers as an incentive to provide insurance for their employees a few months ago?

Giving with one hand, while taking with the other.

I think the idea is, make sure everyone has insurance, so he has more people to tax for having it. A new slush fund, complimenting Social Security and Medicare.

We have to pay for all that Presidentail bling somehow.

[Smurf-Herder]

We have to pay for all that Presidentail bling somehow.

Yeah, somebody has to pay for the $100 steak dinners, $175,000 for new drapes and the regular Wednesday night White House dinner parties.

[Moby]

So by all means, let's not have on opinion until the tax is actually levied on us?
Well yeah. This is a perfect example.

Who own UPI?
Did Obama make any claims that he wanted to tax health care benefits?
Who is now spreading the word?

What could be more sheep like then spreading the mass hysteria because a man never said something?

[Smurf-Herder]

Well yeah. This is a perfect example.

Who own UPI?
Did Obama make any claims that he wanted to tax health care benefits?
Who is now spreading the word?

What could be more sheep like then spreading the mass hysteria because a man never said something?

It's on all the networks and in all the papers. Everybody is spreading it - specifically because he said he was against it and now it's on the table.

He probably won't do it now, judging by the reaction to it. I'm assuming the story is a trial balloon, to see which way the wind is blowing on it.

[Moby]

It's on all the networks and in all the papers. Everybody is spreading it - specifically because he said he was against it and now it's on the table.

He probably won't do it now, judging by the reaction to it. I'm assuming the story is a trial balloon, to see which way the wind is blowing on it.
He probably won't invade Canada but he still hasn't said that he won't :p

[Smurf-Herder]

He probably won't invade Canada but he still hasn't said that he won't :p


You know SM, sometimes you sound like a 3rd grader in a school yard with A.D.D.

[Moby]

You know SM, sometimes you sound like a 3rd grader in a school yard with A.D.D.
Only when I simplify things and bring them right back to the level of the programming. Once you remove the emotional reaction from the programming it really is even simpler and that's why it requires the emotional reaction and the anchors.

[Smurf-Herder]

Only when I simplify things and bring them right back to the level of the programming. Once you remove the emotional reaction from the programming it really is even simpler and that's why it requires the emotional reaction and the anchors.


Yeah, ya gotta dumb things down to make your point ... otherwise your point is meaningless.