The Baucus Heath Care Plan: Death By Taxes!

If this is a "bipartisan" plan, they we need two new parties:

... the Baucus plan: a slimmed down price-tag of $856 billion over 10 years. Earlier versions of the health care legislation had come in costing $1 trillion or more. But stay tuned for a close look at the fine print; Congressional budget-scoring is often as much art as science.

Another number to watch: 13 percent. That’s the share of family income that the Baucus plan envisions middle-class American families having to pay in health insurance premiums before co-payments, deductibles and other cost-sharing.

Wow. So a family of four making $100,000 (which is barely a living wage in New Jersey, by the way), which already loses about 35% of their income to federal taxes, social security, and state taxes, will now lose another 13% - BEFORE medical deductibles - based on on the Baucus plan. Not counting, of course, other taxes and fees that must be paid out of the net, like the extra $1K a month I need to come up with for the privilege of owning a three-bedroom home in New Jersey.

That brings our middle class family up to a taxation rate of 50% of their paychecks. Again, not counting additional taxes and fees (motor vehicles, etc.) that are paid out of the net. That puts us on par with Europe's taxation rate, incidentally. A continent that consistently has 10% unemployment and jumps for joy when they see an annual economic growth rate of over 1.5%. That's what the Baucus plan is aiming for. And boy, will it hit the mark.

And this is before a cap-and-trade bill - the next order of business in Obama's America - raises energy prices by another $100- or so a month for that same family.

The next time a Joe Wilson wants to stand up and challenge Barack Obama, let's try a different tact. Instead of accusing him of lying, just ask him, in a simple, clear, voice:

"How are we expected to survive under this plan"?

Not to grow - if the government is confiscating half of your money, the economy will never grow - but simply survive.

Would be enlightening to hear his answer...