Read My Lips - More New Taxes

I don't think this move by Congress is going to go over well.

WASHINGTON – Despite a less-than-rousing reaction from the Obama administration, House Democrats are considering a new tax on employer-provided health benefits to help pay for expanding coverage to the uninsured.

Several officials also said an outline of emerging legislation envisions a requirement for all individuals to purchase affordable coverage, with an unspecified penalty for those who refuse and a waiver for those who cannot cover the cost.

"There's no sense having a mandate unless you have a contribution," Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said Monday. He referred to the suggestion as "play or pay."

Mandates, contributions, and government guns. I take it that the plan will not be voluntary. I wonder how they will apportion the contribution between workers and their employers? If the tax is on workers directly the workers will howl at election time. If the tax is on the companies there will be more unemployed workers.

You know, with the Obama economic plans it is hard to tell the bugs from the features.

Cross Posted at Classical Values