George Stephanopoulos disagrees with Obama's definition of TAX

This is a really strange picture, but I couldn't resist. The name "George Stephanopoulos" makes me think of Sesame Street.

Anyway I find it hard to believe that anyone in the main-stream-media would actually question Barack Obama. George Stephanopoulos actually stepped up to the plate to be one of the first.

There are a few interesting things here. At one point Obama actually slips up and says the following:

"...the first thing we got to understand is , you've got what is effectively a tax increase taking place on American families right now. A Kaiser Family Foundation report just came out last week. Health care premiums went up 5 1/2 percent just last year, at a time when -- the rest of economy was actually negative, so that is a huge bite out of peoples pockets. And part of what I've been trying to say throughout this campaign... uhh this... uhh effort to get health care done, is that if we don't do anything -- guaranteed Americans' costs are gonna go up, more people are going to loose health care coverage, the insurance companies are gonna continue to make sure that people don't get it through pre-existing conditions. Those are all burdens on people who have health insurance right now. So just to close the loop on this. The principles I've put forth..."

Now this is strange. So, Obama is still campaigning. We all knew that, I just didn't know if he did.

Obama also attempts to draw a parallel between taxes, and health care costs. I can't believe that we have a president who doesn't understand what a tax is. Or does he? This is simply ridiculous. Nobody is forced to buy health insurance. You are forced to pay taxes.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/george/2009/09/obama-mandate-is-not-a-tax.html

Here is the transcript:

STEPHANOPOULOS: You were against the individual mandate...

OBAMA: Yes.

STEPHANOPOULOS: ...during the campaign. Under this mandate, the government is forcing people to spend money, fining you if you don’t. How is that not a tax?

OBAMA: Well, hold on a second, George. Here -- here's what's happening. You and I are both paying $900, on average -- our families -- in higher premiums because of uncompensated care. Now what I've said is that if you can't afford health insurance, you certainly shouldn't be punished for that. That's just piling on. If, on the other hand, we're giving tax credits, we've set up an exchange, you are now part of a big pool, we've driven down the costs, we've done everything we can and you actually can afford health insurance, but you've just decided, you know what, I want to take my chances. And then you get hit by a bus and you and I have to pay for the emergency room care, that's...

STEPHANOPOULOS: That may be, but it's still a tax increase.

OBAMA: No. That's not true, George. The -- for us to say that you've got to take a responsibility to get health insurance is absolutely not a tax increase. What it's saying is, is that we're not going to have other people carrying your burdens for you anymore than the fact that right now everybody in America, just about, has to get auto insurance. Nobody considers that a tax increase. People say to themselves, that is a fair way to make sure that if you hit my car, that I'm not covering all the costs.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But it may be fair, it may be good public policy...

OBAMA: No, but -- but, George, you -- you can't just make up that language and decide that that's called a tax increase. Any...

STEPHANOPOULOS: Here’s the...

OBAMA: What -- what -- if I -- if I say that right now your premiums are going to be going up by 5 or 8 or 10 percent next year and you say well, that's not a tax increase; but, on the other hand, if I say that I don't want to have to pay for you not carrying coverage even after I give you tax credits that make it affordable, then...

STEPHANOPOULOS: I -- I don't think I'm making it up. Merriam Webster's Dictionary: Tax -- "a charge, usually of money, imposed by authority on persons or property for public purposes."

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. Otherwise, you wouldn't have gone to the dictionary to check on the definition. I mean what...

STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, no, but...

OBAMA: ...what you're saying is...

STEPHANOPOULOS: I wanted to check for myself. But your critics say it is a tax increase.

OBAMA: My critics say everything is a tax increase. My critics say that I'm taking over every sector of the economy. You know that. Look, we can have a legitimate debate about whether or not we're going to have an individual mandate or not, but...

STEPHANOPOULOS: But you reject that it’s a tax increase?

OBAMA: I absolutely reject that notion.

The car insurance example is absurd. Nobody is forced to purchase car insurance. You are not required to purchase car insurance without two conditions being met. You must own a car first of all. Second you must wish to drive the car on public roads.

The tax Obama is preposing would require you to pay for either health insurance, or a tax, based on the fact that you are alive and have income. There is absolutely no parallel between Obama's health tax, and car insurance.

Also Obama mentions "burden." This is common practice of those who believe in Marxist theory. The use of "burden" is often referred to in Marx's Manifesto. As a matter of fact burden is the entire basis for a progressive tax system. Marxists consider "being poor" a burden. The people who work and have more should give more, to offset that burden. In other words, Marxists do not consider "work" to be a burden, burden is always situational. Obama says, "Well, hold on a second, George. Here -- here's what's happening. You and I are both paying $900, on average -- our families -- in higher premiums because of uncompensated care. Now what I've said is that if you can't afford health insurance, you certainly shouldn't be punished for that." So, Obama considers his health care tax -- because that's what it is -- to be punishment. So, we should not punish those who can't afford health insurance, but we should punish those who can? How is that not placing a "burden" right back on the people who produce? If health care premiums are lower, Obama's tax will make up for it. If the guy in Obama's example steps in front of the bus, somebody still has to pay for it. The difference; money will be funneled through the government instead of the private sector. Remember that 1/6th of GDP health care represents?

Just remember, Obama said, "My critics say everything is a tax increase. My critics say that I'm taking over every sector of the economy. You know that. Look, we can have a legitimate debate about whether or not we're going to have an individual mandate or not, but..." Notice that Obama did not refute the idea of a takeover, he only mentions it. Pay close attention to what Obama says. Think about the 46 million Americans, vs. the 30 million American Citizens.

Obama has established that the definition of "tax" changes depending on whether or not he considers it a responsibility?

Obama is without reason.

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