-- $201 billion in new taxes on high-premium health care plans.Are you starting to notice a trend here?
-- $83 billion in new taxes paid by workers who will receive less employer-sponsored coverage or lose that coverage altogether but will be compensated with higher wages or monetary benefits, which are taxable.
-- $23 billion in penalty fees paid by employers who do not comply with the federal insurance mandate.
-- $4 billion in penalty fees paid by individuals who don't have health insurance.
-- $16 billion in new income and Medicare payroll tax revenue due to changes in Medicare.
And $180 billion in other tax revenues items, including: A new tax on prescription drug makers that would account for $22.2 billion over 10 years; a new tax on medical device manufacturers that would bring in $38.6 billion; and a new annual tax on insurance companies would net the government $60.4 billion.
Can’t TOTUS teach him a new phrase?Terrorists? ‘Now let me be clear: We are indeed at war with al-Qaida and its affiliates.’
Student testing? ‘Let me be clear: Success should be judged by results, and data is a powerful tool to determine results.’
Iran? ‘Let me be clear: Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile activity poses a real threat, not just to the United States, but to Iran’s neighbors and our allies.’
Auto bailouts? ‘Let me be clear: The United States government has no interest in running GM.’
In Moscow: ‘Let me be clear: America wants a strong, peaceful, and prosperous Russia.’
In Ghana: ‘Let me be clear: Africa is not the crude caricature of a continent at perpetual war.’
In Italy, bemoaning poor U.S. leadership on climate change: ‘Let me be clear: Those days are over.’In Trinidad, announcing new aid: ‘Let me be clear: This is not charity.’
