DEFINITION OF THE WORD "TAX"

DEFINITION OF THE WORD "TAX "
Obama Stumbles Into Clintonian Territory Arguing Whether Individual Mandate Is A Tax
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OBAMA VS. STEPHANOPOULOS DEBATE WHAT DEFINITION OF "TAX" IS

Stephanopoulos Asks Obama How Individual Mandate "Is Not A Tax" And Obama Denies It's A Tax Increase. STEPHANOPOULOS: "Under this mandate, the government is forcing people to spend money, fining you if you don't. How is that not a tax?" ... OBAMA: "No. That's not true, George ... 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." (ABC News' "This Week," 9/20/09)

So Stephanopoulos Reads Dictionary Definition Of "Tax" And Obama Claims Dictionary Definitions Are "Stretching" The Truth. STEPHANOPOULOS: "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 are stretching a bit right now. Otherwise you wouldn't have gone to the dictionary to check on it." (ABC News' "This Week," 9/20/09)

SO WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF THE WORD "TAX"

Sen. Max Baucus' (D-MT) Bill Calls Individual Mandate An "Excise Tax" That Could Be As High As $3800. "Federal law does not require individuals to have health insurance ... Beginning in 2013, all U.S. citizens and legal residents would be required to purchase coverage ... The consequence for not maintaining insurance would be an excise tax. If a taxpayer's MAGI is between 100-300 percent of FPL, the excise tax for failing to obtain coverage for an individual in a taxpayer unit (either as a taxpayer or an individual claimed as a dependent) is $750 per year. However, the maximum penalty for the taxpayer unit is $1,500. If a taxpayer's MAGI is above 300 percent of FPL the penalty for failing to obtain coverage for an individual in a taxpayer unit (either as a taxpayer or as an individual claimed as a dependent) is $950 year. However, the maximum penalty amount a family above 300 percent of FPL would pay is $3,800." (Sen. Max Baucus, Chairman's Mark, "America's Healthy Future Act Of 2009," Introduced 9/16/09)

House Democrats' Bill Includes 2.5 Percent Income "Tax On Individuals Without Acceptable Health Care Coverage." "PART VIII - HEALTH CARE RELATED TAXES. Subpart A - Tax On Individuals Without Accetable Health Care Coverage. SEC. 59B. TAX ON INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT ACCEPTABLE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE. (a) TAX IMPOSED. In the case of any individuals who does not meet the requirements at any time during the taxable year, there is hereby imposed a tax equal to 2.5 percent of the excess of ... the taxpayer's modified adjusted gross income for the taxable year." (H.R. 3200, "America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009," Introduced 7/14/09)


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