I could say the same thing about the "right" - that they just want to hear their own ways being preached, will not listen to others' views, and crush them without reason.
Even the truth is enough to deter me. As someone that works for a small business that has to pay for health care out of my pocket $2500 doesn't come close to providing me access to great health care. I currently pay $2400 for a health plan that has a $1500 deductible. And what is to stop insurance companies from raising premiums knowing that this 'tax benefit' will come into play. Try explaining 'reasonable limits' on premiums to someone that is already heading to bankruptcy trying to treat cancer or pay down medical bills.
And as McCain has no provision that would insist on coverage for preexisting conditions or mental health care parity -- plenty of folks will be left entirely out in the cold, being given a credit for insurance they simply can't get.
I do not know about the "only federal" part. Nor am I sure that you can make income taxable for the feds, yet non-taxable by the states.
The credit would offset the cost, yes. However, the aim of the plan is to get more people out in the open market for health insurance and decrease the number of employer-sponsored plans. The idea is, as far as I can tell, that this increased competition would lower premiums to the point that a family would be able to get insurance for the 5000 buck credit. This seems extremely unrealistic to me, and the more likely outcome, I think, is that people will end up woefully underinsured.
I do not like this plan, although, ironically, I agree on one point which is that it is completely wrong to give people who happen to get insurance on the job what amounts to a massive tax break and give less tax advantage to those who don't. OTOH, this could equally be solved by making all health spending deductible, for example. Also, the $5000 credit amounts to an aggressively progressive scheme, which is a bit funny when you keep in mind the ongoing discussion here about Obama's "marxist" inclinations.
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I could say the same thing about the "right" - that they just want to hear their own ways being preached, will not listen to others' views, and crush them without reason.
Even the truth is enough to deter me. As someone that works for a small business that has to pay for health care out of my pocket $2500 doesn't come close to providing me access to great health care. I currently pay $2400 for a health plan that has a $1500 deductible. And what is to stop insurance companies from raising premiums knowing that this 'tax benefit' will come into play. Try explaining 'reasonable limits' on premiums to someone that is already heading to bankruptcy trying to treat cancer or pay down medical bills.
But thanks for the link just the same :)
Even Douglas Holtz Eakin from the McCain campaign admits that their plan is lacking:
http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2008/10/28/mccain-campaign-says-your-health-care-plan-is-better-than-theirs/
October 28th, 2008
Sopal
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Are you claiming that public tax money paid for Rev. Wright's home?
I do not know about the "only federal" part. Nor am I sure that you can make income taxable for the feds, yet non-taxable by the states.
The credit would offset the cost, yes. However, the aim of the plan is to get more people out in the open market for health insurance and decrease the number of employer-sponsored plans. The idea is, as far as I can tell, that this increased competition would lower premiums to the point that a family would be able to get insurance for the 5000 buck credit. This seems extremely unrealistic to me, and the more likely outcome, I think, is that people will end up woefully underinsured.
I do not like this plan, although, ironically, I agree on one point which is that it is completely wrong to give people who happen to get insurance on the job what amounts to a massive tax break and give less tax advantage to those who don't. OTOH, this could equally be solved by making all health spending deductible, for example. Also, the $5000 credit amounts to an aggressively progressive scheme, which is a bit funny when you keep in mind the ongoing discussion here about Obama's "marxist" inclinations.
Pages