Discussion Groups: Politics

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly 6 million Americans — significantly more than first estimated— will face a tax penalty under President Barack Obama's health overhaul for not getting insurance, congressional analysts said Wednesday. Most would be in the middle class.

The new estimate amounts to an inconvenient fact for the administration, a reminder of what critics see as broken promises.

The numbers from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office are 50 percent higher than a previous projection by the same office in 2010, shortly after the law passed. The earlier estimate found 4 million people would be affected in 2016, when the penalty is fully in effect.

That's still only a sliver of the population, given that more than 150 million people currently are covered by employer plans. Nonetheless, in his first campaign for the White House, Obama pledged not to raise taxes on individuals making less than $200,000 a year and couples making less than $250,000.

And the budget office analysis found that nearly 80 percent of those who'll face the penalty would be making up to or less than five times the federal poverty level. Currently that would work out to $55,850 or less for an individual and $115,250 or less for a family of four.

Average penalty: about $1,200 in 2016.

A better health care bill could have crafted with some coperation but all we ever get is

NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

There is no reason the blockheads can't refine the health care bill if they think they have a better idea. Unlike them, everyone would be willing to at least listen, instead of saying NNNNNOOOOOO to absolutely everything and anything...the teabag party may just be sinking their own ship thinking everyone is buying into their constant BS........

Are you kidding me?

Since I no longer have employer healthcare, my payments are $1,000. a month (for family), with a $3,000.00 deductible.

$1,200. a YEAR? Big hairy deal.

gammaray Wrote:
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> A better health care bill could have crafted with
> some coperation but all we ever get is
>
> NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO


A flat out lie. Again. Shock. This nitwit bill was passed with no republican support, which means democrats could have done whatever they wanted. And by the way, your preposterous and borderline dangerous unwillingness to allow your party to take responsibility for the bull$h!t that they've passed is frightening. You're a sycophant, and evidently not even a very interesting one.

MGB, I think you have a very short memory. You don't remember the whole health care drama in Congress? Yes, the Democrats probably did make a mistake in even reaching across the aisle for their ideas.

8Cinnamon2 Wrote:
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> MGB, I think you have a very short memory. You
> don't remember the whole health care drama in
> Congress?


I remember it passing without any Republican support, which means they could have made the Affordable Care Act say pretty much anything they wanted it to. Which of course refutes gammjuby's idiotic claim.


Yes, the Democrats probably did make a
> mistake in even reaching across the aisle for
> their ideas.


They didn't, really. But believe what you wish. Because the Democrats did whatever they wanted they lost the House in the midterms. Don't like the Tea Party members currently serving? Blame Nancy Pelosi. She presided over a Congress that lost 63 seats in the House, the worst defeat in a midterm since 1938. Something to be proud of, i suppose.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/2012 11:33PM by MGB.

as important as the health care issue may be, we were in the worst economic crisis in 70 years.

i would think that should have been the priority.

Priority should be the debt!.. Not creating MORE debt.

Judge for yourself. The history of legislation is halfway through this article. References are given.
[en.wikipedia.org]