GOP Backs Massive Tax Increase

[Gardening Grandma]

Republicans, who came to power in the US House on a Tea Party platform of job creation and budget cuts, yesterday clashed sharply with Democrats over a GOP effort to push through a host of new antiabortion measures, including a proposal that would eliminate tax deductions for private insurance plans that cover abortions.
Democrats refer to this as a massive tax increase designed to phase out abortions.
<snip>
Charles Franklin, a political scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said the Republican focus on abortion could present a political danger for the party, which scored big gains in the midterm elections due partly to independent voters who were attracted to the GOP’s platform of economic issues.

www.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2011/02/09/house_lawmakers_clash_over_gop_push_to_curb_abortion/

[Gardening Grandma]

So HOW is that jobs bill coming along?

[Loopdilou]

Wait.. I wouldn't be able to deduct from the money *I* specifically give to the government in taxes if I have a plan that covers abortions? Way to take the voice from the people, Republicans!

I think they're missing the point of this whole... down economy thing.

[safeharbor37]

Democrats refer to this as a massive tax increase designed to phase out abortions.

Democrats lie a lot.

[Gardening Grandma]

How would YOU describe a proposal that would eliminate tax deductions for private insurance plans that cover abortions.?

Provisions of GOP-sponsored measure

▸ Makes the Hyde Amendment permanent and applies it across all government programs.

▸ Denies tax credits to companies offering health plans that cover abortions.

▸ Prevents individual taxpayers from claiming a tax deduction for their health premium if their private plan covers abortions.

▸ Reinstates a ban on abortion services in any health care facility run by the District of Columbia.

[Gardening Grandma]

Again, these are the same folks who ran on an economic policy and who pushed for extension of tax cuts........

[ed1066]

and who pushed for extension of tax cuts........

Are you referring to the extension Obama and the senate Democrats recently approved?

[ugonow]

It should be if your company covers abortion,not your policy. Your premiums do not just go to your plan.They go into a much larger pool. This should also end the practice of your premium being on a pretax basis on your check too if they are serious and this is not another useless symbolic circus show.

[Angel!]

Wow...So the govt. shouldn't be involved in insurance or regulating insurance, but they should be able to tax me on my insurance plan if it happens to cover abortions. This is not at all what got them into office the last election. I hope this doesn't go unnoticed in the next election if they can't get back to the issues that got them elected.

[Loopdilou]

Ok wait.. so... if I somehow convinced a bunch of people that insurance companies shouldn't cover a life saving procedure then it'll either get taxed or they'll stop offering it?

'Cause I'm pretty sure that means Death Camps are coming

[Gardening Grandma]

This should also end the practice of your premium being on a pretax basis on your check too if they are serious and this is not another useless symbolic circus show.

Since they are fully aware that it would not pass the Senate or the WH, it seems apparent to me that it's simply symbolic (and a waste of taxpayer dollars)

This is not at all what got them into office the last election. I hope this doesn't go unnoticed in the next election if they can't get back to the issues that got them elected.

They won on economic issues. But it's starting to look like a "bait and switch" gambit.

[safeharbor37]

How would YOU describe a proposal that would eliminate tax deductions for private insurance plans that cover abortions.?

The same as any elimination of deductions for benefits. Private insurance plans paid for by employers are compensation just like salary.
The fact is that only the relatively well off get expensive health plans paid for by employers. Most ordinary people get minimal plans, not the gold plated plans for which employers pay as much as they do for salaries of average workers. In other words, many of these plans are nothing but welfare for the [relatively] rich. The issue of abortion coverage is entirely different. If any healthcare subsidy is justified, it should be a standard deduction of a fixed amount so that it wouldn't favor those who need it least.
We are dealing with a debt and deficit issue which will affect the life of every American. Subsidizing the most highly compensated is not the way to address the issue.

[jkapp]

LOL! The Democrats wanted to phase out deduction of ALL insurance premiums...what a bunch of hypocritical turds.

[deziloooooo]

If this is the feeling of where the problems lie, the deficits, the Jobs, lack of, jobs, deficit...that sent these people to Washington , where to spend their energies, some one got their wires crossed, in my opinion.

Who saisd these people were not from the right..same old, same old..Abortion, # 1 problem facing the US.

Keep it up, Obama for 2012 might look better and better, again IMHO.

[ugonow]

LOL! The Democrats wanted to phase out deduction of ALL insurance premiums...what a bunch of hypocritical turds.  

To be fair,you must also remember republicans wanted to tax all employer benefits as income last election.

[fairlycrazy23]

We need to jettison our entire federal tax system and replace it with the Fairtax, that would eliminate all of these games.

[jnap]

Good God almighty, the fair tax is the dumbest idea I have ever heard.
I say that for three reasons. First, all of the sayings you have already paid taxes on will be taxed at thirty percent when you spend it under the fair tax. Secondly, every family in the US would be on the Government dole because a check would have to be sent to every family, each month, to repay the unfair portion of the fair tax. Third taxing what someone spends as opposed to what someone earns makes no sense at all because if you don't earn anything you can't pay anything. That fact can never change.
Lastly, the fair tax is equal to 23 cents on every 77 cents spent and includes doctor visits, medicine, electric, insurance payments and just about everything you can imagine.
Fair tax my a**.

[Deleted]

Kill your unborn with your own money, and no one will even know what you are doing.