PELOSI: Buy a $15,000 Policy or Go to Jail
JCT Confirms Failure to Comply with Democrats’ Mandate Can Lead to 5
Years in Jail
Friday, November 06, 2009

Today, Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee Dave Camp
(R-MI) released a letter from the non-partisan Joint Committee on
Taxation (JCT) confirming that the failure to comply with the
individual mandate to buy health insurance contained in the Pelosi
health care bill (H.R. 3962, as amended) could land people in jail.
The JCT letter  makes clear that Americans who do not maintain
“acceptable health insurance coverage” and who choose not to pay the
bill’s new individual mandate tax (generally 2.5% of income), are
subject to numerous civil and criminal penalties, including criminal
fines of up to $250,000 and imprisonment of up to five years.

In response to the JCT letter, Camp said:  “This is the ultimate
example of the Democrats’ command-and-control style of governing – buy
what we tell you or go to jail.  It is outrageous and it should be
stopped immediately.”

Key excerpts from the JCT letter appear below:

“H.R. 3962 provides that an individual (or a husband and wife in the
case of a joint return) who does not, at any time during the taxable
year, maintain acceptable health insurance coverage for himself or
herself and each of his or her qualifying children is subject to an
additional tax.” [page 1]

                                                         - - - - - - -
- - -                                                  

“If the government determines that the taxpayer’s unpaid tax liability
results from willful behavior, the following penalties could apply…”
[page 2]

                                                         - - - - - - -
- - -    

“Criminal penalties

Prosecution is authorized under the Code for a variety of offenses.
Depending on the level of the noncompliance, the following penalties
could apply to an individual:

• Section 7203 – misdemeanor willful failure to pay is punishable by a
fine of up to $25,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year.

• Section 7201 – felony willful evasion is punishable by a fine of up
to $250,000 and/or imprisonment of up to five years.” [page 3]

When confronted with this same issue during its consideration of a
similar individual mandate tax, the Senate Finance Committee worked on
a bipartisan basis to include language in its bill that shielded
Americans from civil and criminal penalties.  The Pelosi bill,
however, contains no similar language protecting American citizens
from civil and criminal tax penalties that could include a $250,000
fine and five years in jail.

“The Senate Finance Committee had the good sense to eliminate the
extreme penalty of incarceration.  Speaker Pelosi’s decision to leave
in the jail time provision is a threat to every family who cannot
afford the $15,000 premium her plan creates.  Fortunately, Republicans
have an alternative that will lower health insurance costs without
raising taxes or cutting Medicare,” said Camp.

According to the Congressional Budget Office the lowest cost family
non-group plan under the Speaker’s bill would cost $15,000 in 2016.

How's that hope and change going for you now DIMS?

--

From earners to yearners.  Obamanomics!
From makers to takers.     Obamanomics!

Chuck Norris