See, it’s a “fine,” not a “tax”

The Wall Street Journal[*1] , writing before Obama descended from the mountain to announce the two graven tablets of holy wisdom about the American health care system to the Congress and the ignorant, misled populace last Wednesday night:

Democratic plans call for requiring most Americans to carry health insurance. Failure to comply could cost families as much as $3,800 a year, according to a new Senate proposal.

But remember, Obama won’t raise taxes on 95% of all Americans.

If you believed that . . . well, I’m sorry. You know better, now, right?

John Hinderaker at Powerline[*2] analyzes Obama’s speech:

Here are some excerpts from the speech that I thought were noteworthy:

Instead of honest debate, we have seen scare tactics.

Then, a few minutes later:

Everyone in this room knows what will happen if we do nothing. Our deficit will grow. More families will go bankrupt. More businesses will close. More Americans will lose their coverage when they are sick and need it most. And more will die as a result.

By far the biggest scaremonger on this issue has been Obama himself.

. . .

Some of people’s concerns have grown out of bogus claims spread by those whose only agenda is to kill reform at any cost. The best example is the claim, made not just by radio and cable talk show hosts, but prominent politicians, that we plan to set up panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens. Such a charge would be laughable if it weren’t so cynical and irresponsible. It is a lie, plain and simple.

No, it isn’t. The Democrats’ bill doesn’t call the agencies it sets up “death panels,” it says they will decide on “best practices.” But any socialized medicine scheme saves money by rationing care. Who gets shorted, the politically powerful? No, of course not; the elderly and those who are otherwise helpless[*3] . In the United Kingdom, the death panel goes by the Orwellian acronym “NICE.”

There are also those who claim that our reform effort will insure illegal immigrants. This, too, is false – the reforms I’m proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally.

This is an outright lie, as Congressman Joe Wilson couldn’t resist blurting out during Obama’s speech. The Democrats defeated Republican-sponsored amendments that would have attempted, at least, to prevent illegals from being treated under the House version of Obama’s plan. I think everyone expects that if Obamacare becomes law, illegals will receive benefits on an equal basis with citizens.

Hinderaker’s conclusion necessarily follows from his analysis:

This was not, to put it kindly, a speech that was directed at thinking people.

South Carolina Representative Joe Wilson was not wrong with his “You lie!” heckle during the speech. Intemperate, perhaps, but not wrong.