Health Care Reform Includes Progressive Tax That Helps All Working Families

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/13182

Painter’s Union President Jimmy Williams: Health Care Reform Includes Progressive Tax That Helps All Working Families

Submitted by Doug Cunningham on March 24, 2010 - 3:04pm
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By Doug Cunningham

Painters’ union president Jimmy Williams says President Obama stepped up for working families in the teeth of intense insurance industry and Republican opposition to close the deal on health care reform.

: “He showed leadership in pushing the bill and it’s gonna make a big difference for all working families.”

Williams says this reform cuts the tax on health care benefits for working families while still boosting future Medicare funding.

: “It eliminates 80 percent, basically, of the excise tax. And that would have penalized working families. It substitutes in its place a progressive tax on the wealthy. It requires Medicare contributions be paid on unearned income for the first time.”

Williams says politically unions have six months to inform and educate their members about what this reform does. Republicans had eight years in power and failed to reform health care. And they were the party of no on this reform. So can the GOP be beaten at the polls on this issue?

: “A donkey eats an elephant one bite at a time.”

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1. I don't think the author understands the definition of progressive tax.

Because a progressive tax this bill is not:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7998859

[Fumesucker]

2. +1

[Omaha Steve]

3. This tax is not on those with health insurance as I read it

http://healthreform.kff.org/SubsidyCalculator.aspx

From your link: considered for people under age 65 who purchase coverage on their own in an Exchange and are not covered through their employer, Medicare or Medicaid.

And: The calculator does not apply to people with coverage available through an employer, where the firm is generally paying for a substantial portion of the insurance premium.

So nobody gets a free ride on health care.

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4. Lets force homeless to buy houses. That will fix it. Nobody gets a free ride on housing

Does that sound logical to you?

[Omaha Steve]

5. Go drink some tea

Do you trust your source page? Is it truly independent?

Do other sites back it up?

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6. I'm not gonna prove a negative to you. I have no reason to doubt those calculators.

If you do point out why.

[Omaha Steve]

7. So if the site was Fox

You would trust the calculator? I'm just asking if it is a neutral site etc..?

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8. I dont automatically dismiss things off hand because they come from Fox

even a broken clock is right twice a day. But there is no comparrison between the Kaiser Family Foundation and Fox, you can read about them here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiser_Family_Foundation

So unless you have any specific examples aas to why not trust those numbers I'm gonna keep trusting them, you should too. And what they amount to (in principle) is a huge regressive tax that will hit single middle class americans the hardest.

[Omaha Steve]

9. I only asked if you trusted the source and why

If you trust Fox twice a day, I know where your coming from.

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10. I already gave you my answer. If you want to ignore the facts that is your choice

If you need me to repeat it I'll do it again, yes; I trust the source. I have no reason not to. And you aren't able to give me a reason not to a side from it not fitting your rosy little picture of what this bill is.

[Omaha Steve]

11. I read it, source accepted

So just what about this calculator will effect YOU!? I have insurance from my employer. This doesn't hit me that I can see.

I'll be out the door in the next half hour. We can pick this up tonight.

[Omaha Steve]

12. We had come to the fork in the road

Pass what we could or get nothing. What makes you think this won't CHANGE? Pun intended.

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13. Effect me personally? I dont usually look at these things as how they will only affect me

I think I did a good job explaining how it will affect someone making $10 /hr or so. For me I make a bit more to the point where I wont get any subsidies. Yet I will be asked to shell out around $200 a month extra. I don't have $200 a month to spare right now so I'll have to find a way to get that money by cutting back somewhere else, Im lucky enough to make enough money to be able to do that; not the case for others.

[Omaha Steve]

14. It is time for you to join a union

Couldn't help it. I am headed out the door and will be back later today to pick this up.

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15. Unfortunately when the company you work for is hanging on by a thread a union isnt an option

I guess I could look on the bright side, if I lose my job I'll qualify for a subsidy!

[Omaha Steve]

16. Let me get this straight

You don't currently have health ins?

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17. Nope.

This is really starting to get in to a long discussion far off from the fact that in principle this is a regresive (not a progressive) tax.

[Omaha Steve]

18. And don't want it?

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20100327/D9EMSVS80.html

Those who continue to go without coverage will have to pay a penalty to the IRS, except in cases of financial hardship. Fines vary by income and family size. For example, a single person making $45,000 would pay an extra $1,125 in taxes when the penalty is fully phased in, in 2016.