Archive for September, 2009
Stephanopoulos Doesn’t Need a Dictionary
Posted by The Marginalist in Politics on September 21st, 2009
From Bonnie Kristian at Young Americans for Liberty:
There is one point on which the president may not be criticized: he is a skilled verbal gymnast and there is no denying it. Most recently, he has denied that the government taking more of our money as a penalty for not living up to our supposed “responsibility to get health insurance” would be a tax increase, despite the dictionary’s assertion to the contrary:
“I don’t think I’m making it up,” Mr. Stephanopoulos said. He then had the temerity to challenge the Philologist in Chief, with an assist from Merriam-Webster. He cited that dictionary’s definition of “tax”—”a charge, usually of money, imposed by authority on persons or property for public purposes.”
Mr. Obama: “George, the fact that you looked up Merriam’s Dictionary, the definition of tax increase, indicates to me that you’re stretching a little bit right now. . . .”
Riiight…because checking with the dictionary is always indicative of stretching the truth.
Very nice post, Bonnie. I wanna talk a little bit more about the individual mandate and taxes. Let’s take a look back at what Obama said during his campaign about tax increases at 1:20:
Now, let’s take a look at two different bills. The first one is the House bill, H.R. 3200. This is what the bill says about individuals who chose not to, or couldn’t afford to purchase health insurance:
Subpart A–Tax on Individuals Without Acceptable Health Care Coverage
`Sec. 59B. Tax on individuals without acceptable health care coverage.
`SEC. 59B. TAX ON INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT ACCEPTABLE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE.
`(a) Tax Imposed- In the case of any individual who does not meet the requirements of subsection (d) at any time during the taxable year, there is hereby imposed a tax equal to 2.5 percent of the excess of–
`(1) the taxpayer’s modified adjusted gross income for the taxable year, over
`(2) the amount of gross income specified in section 6012(a)(1) with respect to the taxpayer.
I’m not lying to you, I’m quoting the actual text of the bill. This part of the bill is found in a section that modifies the Internal Revenue Code. Stephanopoulos doesn’t even have to go to the dictionary to check whether or not this plan involves a tax, the word tax is literally written all over it. The tax is charged to any individual who does not purchase health insurance — regardless of his or her income.
Now, let’s look at the Baucus Bill. The text of the Baucus Bill is here (go to Page 32) and here (scroll down). What do you see?
Excise Tax. The consequence for not maintaining insurance would be an excise tax.
Not only is it written there, it’s italicized and bolded in the PDF.
Clearly the individual mandate is a tax. And what does our President say…?
STEPHANOPOULOS: But you reject that it’s a tax increase?
OBAMA: I absolutely reject that notion.
John Stossel on Health Care
Posted by The Marginalist in Links on September 12th, 2009
John Stossel: What if we had grocery insurance?
First Federalist Article: Fishy Statements
Posted by The Marginalist in Personal, Politics on September 9th, 2009
As I explained before, I’m writing for a paper called the Georgetown Federalist here in D.C. My first article — which will be after the jump — is a re-worked version of “My Email to the White House.” I like the new version much better, and it will appear on the front page of the Georgetown Federalist. I was inspired by Keith Hennessey’s article here, which mocked the direct contradiction of the President’s promises and Doug Elmendorf’s analysis of health care reform 
On a side note, I will be in San Antonio from November 6th to 8th, representing the Georgetown Federalist and taking part in the Collegiate Network’s Editors’ Conference. The Collegiate Network supports independent college newspapers.
A
s for other political trouble-making I’m doing here on campus, I’m part of a new group called Hoyas for Liberty, which combines Students for Liberty and Young Americans for Liberty. Our first event was today, featuring a speech by Adam Kissel from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). More events involving YAL and the Cato Institute are in the works. Check us out here.
Here is the article.
“If You Agree, Post This as Your Facebook Status”
Posted by The Marginalist in Freedom Fridays on September 4th, 2009
Some of you may have come across this Facebook status in some form or another yesterday:
No one should die because they cannot afford health care. No one should go broke because they get sick, and no one should be tied to a job because of a pre-existing condition. If you agree, please post this as your status for the rest of the day.
How do freedom-lovers like us respond to that kind of statement? Surely none of us would want people to die simply because they lack wealth or had the bad luck of having a pre-existing condition.
John Thorlin at The New Madisonian offers a good answer. Thorlin cites the “forgotten man,” the one who is forced (against his will) to provide welfare for each other.
What people who subscribe to that statement really believe is that “Someone should pay so that no one will die because they cannot afford healthcare.” That “someone” is the forgotten man Amity Shlaes spoke of — the person who is being forced to provide healthcare, whether it’s a doctor with a gun to his head or a productive citizen being targeted for more tax money.
Absolutely right. Besides the fact that the current reforms won’t actually improve the cost and quality of health care, the fact that it coerces others into providing welfare is a big no-no.
Cross-posted at Young Americans for Liberty
Some Changes
Posted by The Marginalist in Blog News on September 1st, 2009
Alright, now I’m really back from vacation. I’m now a freshman at Georgetown University. This is my dorm room. I’m going to be studying political economy (of course) here, with some math and music on the side. I’m going to be playing in the orchestra and writing for a conservative/libertarian paper called the Georgetown Federalist. And I may do some general political trouble making with a YAL chapter here.
So between The Federeralist, orchestra, classes (they did not sign me up for econ and I am very displeased), and various (including non-political) trouble making, I will obviously have less and less time to devote here. That doesn’t mean no new posts, but I’m going to write less and less for this site alone. Most of the things I post here will be reposts of things I’m writing elsewhere.
Things to look for:
- My first Federalist Article. It is a much, much better redux of this and will appear on the front page of the Federalist.
- Whatever I write at Young Americans for Liberty
- Stories of my political troublemaking
- A few weeks ago, a libertarian professor from SUNY commented on a post I wrote in April. This is both exciting and terrifying at the same time. When I find the time I will discuss the questions he raised, but I don’t know when I can do that.
- Perhaps some stories from my history seminar. The topic is socialism and the professor is, I believe, a social democrat.
– Preston