Reaction from Rep. Rod Hamilton
June 28, 2012 at 8:18 am in Worthington Daily Globe
In an email sent to Rep. Rod Hamilton R-Mountain Lake, Hamilton said:
“Chief Justice John Roberts said, “It is not our job to protect the people from the consequences of their political choices.” and called it a tax. Which is the largest tax increase on the middle class since the imposition of the income tax.
The final ruling will take place this fall during the November election.”
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He’s right about one thing. The voters will decide in November. And they’ll decide to send him packing. If ever there was a political hack, it would be Hamilton.
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It’s time to face the facts, the guy is just plain numb. This was the reply to an email I sent him.
Hope all is well, Rod
Rep. Rod Hamilton
District 22B
559 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155
(651) 296-5373
1-800-735-2463
Nice looking slick Ad I received with your picture on it. Thing I admired the most is, nowhere does it say you are a REPUBLICAN. Ashamed about the state shutdown and ALL the money you saved? And now the Brodkorb “affair” which you expect me to pay for? Good LUCK!
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The tax imposed by the individual mandate amounts to either $695 or 2.5 percent of household income for those who don’t have insurance and are not exempt based on income levels. By comparison, the payroll tax cut extension Republicans repeatedly blocked earlier this year would have added 3.1 percentage points to the tax and cost the average family $1,500 a year.
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The “tax” they are trying to scare everyone about is actually a penalty for the 1 percent of people who can afford insurance but still choose not to buy it, leaving the rest of us to pay for their health care when they head to the emergency room.
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The Tax? When a wrongful immigrant arrives here, it is without insurance. Then it is known that 7-12 extended family members will follow him here. Now a small percent of these people will find a job that will have insurance, but most don’t.
The remainders show up at the emergency room! That’s what the tax is for! Last year my insurance went up 30% while the benefits were cut in half. It now costs more then a full weeks take home pay, scare tactic, working on my wallet already. I for one can not aford the Obama Tax. If it is something you have to pay, it is a tax, don’t fool yourself! Bad dog! Obama Tax, is nothing more then another bailout for the hospitals at the taxpayers expense…again…uncontrolled immigration..
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In case you haven’t heard, there are tens of millions of Americans who do not have health insurance, for many reasons. I’m not talking about “wrongful” immigrants, as you so graciously put it. Of those tens of millions who will now have the opportunity to purchase health insurance, a VERY small percentage of those will choose NOT to participate. Those people who can afford it but won’t buy it, as Naughtydog points out, will pay a tax. As a result, only a tiny percentage of the population will be taxed. There are exceptions to the mandate for the extremely poor, those with religious convictions, etc. It’s ALL in the law. Since you, Deano, already have insurance coverage for you and yours you will not be impacted by this tax, assuming you continue to take insurance from your employer or, if self-insured, on your own. The mandate doesn’t go into effect until 2014, anyway.
Everyone’s insurance premiums have gone up. You’re hardly alone, Deano. It is not the fault of this legislation, most of which won’t go into effect until 2014.
The only people who should be “scared” or “fooled” by this are the misinformed or those who have been frightened by the right wing lobbyists and politicians. They were SO certain the Affordable Care Act was going to be overthrown that they are stunned by the Supreme Court decision. (Boehner had even advised his colleagues in advance NOT to gloat when the announcement was made! Such pomposity.) So, now they’re coming out with all barrels blazing, literally screaming into the microphones, trying to frighten people. That tactic, used in the Bush years, should NOT work in 2012. I hope the average American is smart enough to see through the tactic, educate himself/herself, and turn down the volume on the negative rhetoric.
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eastender posted “Everyone’s insurance premiums have gone up. You’re hardly alone, Deano. It is not the fault of this legislation, most of which won’t go into effect until 2014.”
Most of the increased premium cost can be attributed to covering children up to 26 on parent’s plan, taxes on medical devices and implants,and other items which started being taxed when the law as signed. Remember this was the bill which has 10 years of taxation with 7 years of costs still leaving us with a $1.7 trillion cost for which probably all will be put on the credit card.
If you think hospitals will make out like bandits, they will probably just recover some of the costs they have had to give away free for the past many years. Especially notorius is Medicare which have shafted hospitals and doctors for years in paying for services..
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As an addendum to what I said above about vitriolic and ludicrous comments by Republican “leaders”, I came across this article. Judge for yourself whether these people elevate the level of discourse.
http://news.yahoo.com/5-cringe-worthy-gop-reactions-obamacare-ruling-135400902.html;_ylt=AvTbhdC1qgducP4.rFOG2C7zUc0F;_ylu=X3oDMTZkYzUxZnE3BGNjb2RlA2dtcHRvcDEwMDBwb29sd2lraXVwcmVzdARtaXQDQXJ0aWNsZSBNaXhlZCBMaXN0IE5ld3MgZm9yIFlvdSB3aXRoIE1vcmUgTGluawRwa2cDMDUwYTIwYmQtYmVhOS0zZWY4LWI1Y2YtY2U2NDUyNjFjMWZlBHBvcwMxBHNlYwNNZWRpYUJMaXN0TWl4ZWROZXdzRm9yWW91Q0FUZW1wBHZlcgNmYmIyZWQwMC1jMjEzLTExZTEtOGRmNS04NzY4YjMyNjFlYmY-;_ylg=X3oDMTJ1azRhMWVlBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDM2Y0ZTkwMmUtMWM5Yy0zOTZmLWJjNjMtZDNkNThmNWVhOTg2BHBzdGNhdANob21lfHRyYXZlbARwdANzdG9yeXBhZ2U-;_ylv=3
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As there are tens of millions of wrongful immigrants and the government even admits that 70% of them are on assistance. They don’t have insurance because they can’t afford it, so they will pay the tax. The tax is no ware near enough to pay for their care. So they will still show up at the emergency room and the taxpayer pays the bill plus increased premiums! Bad Plain! AS it’s going I’ll probably have to sign up! Sure glad to hear I won’t be fully bent over till 2014. Why do you think the insurance companies didn’t put up a stink when this was passed? They knew it would be a windfall for them, from the payers and increased premiums. This whole thing stinks. What we need is healthcare reform that would put the cost within the reach of Joe the Plumber! We need to keep what little freedoms we have left…Those that can’t see this are the truly misinformed or foolish!
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“We need to keep what little freedoms we have left…”
Exactly what freedoms have you lost, Deano? Share your list.
Be grateful for what you have. Portraying oneself as a victim is tiresome.
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“Exactly what freedoms have you lost, Deano? Share your list.”
1) Freedom to choose your personal insurance
2) Freedom to keep your current policy (it’s MUCH cheaper to pay the fines, than it is to provide the insurance. You don’t think the businesses aren’t going to drop your coverage in favor of paying much less in fines?)
3) Freedom to have my physician decide what’s best for me, without having a panel of bureaucrats telling the Dr that maybe ” instead of the surgery, maybe you should just give them the pill”
4) Freedom to deposit as much $$ in my Health Savings Account for future use
5) Freedom to use MY HSA to pay for over the counter medications
Need more?
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Thanks, Deano… I mean, ellamay. I didn’t realize Deano had hired a spokesperson.
Is it 2014 already? Time goes by SO fast!
And how do YOU know all of this? Faux News / lobbyist/ Republican scare tactics, perhaps? Have you read the law?
I’m guessing that you haven’t suffered even ONE of these “losses” to date. Let’s get real and talk about the here and now. Deano said he’s ALREADY lost so many freedoms. So the question to you, too, is what have you ALREADY lost? Give us a break and save the drama for the soap operas.
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I read and listen to numerous different media sources, Fox, CNN CBS, etc. so I can make an EDUCATED decision. To date, all’s I’ve lost is my piece of mind that my current insurance policy will be there in 2014. And the piece of mind that I AND my physician, can independently make healthcare decisions for me! Obviously, when you call it “Faux News”, you are lurking around far left websites and MSNBC to gather your liberal talking points like a good soldier does. Why do you suppose Obama himself doesn’t want to talk about it? No soap opera drama whatsoever, I don’t live by what I have or don’ have today. I’m wise enough to look toward the future for myself, kids and grandkids. And yes, I HAVE read a majority of the law, unlike ANYONE that voted this debacle in. If you’d like, I can give you a short list of the new taxes EVERYONE will be hit with. If it was such a great thing, the people that wrote the law and enacted it, wouldn’t have purposely excluded themselves from it, as well as giving waivers to a large amount of unions, (that actually pushed to get it in) So, perhaps YOU shoulld stop with the mis-information and soap opera antics.
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“In case you haven’t heard, there are tens of millions of Americans who do not have health insurance, for many reasons.”—- There is an estimated 350 million people in the United States. There is an estimated 20 to 30 million people without healthcare insurance. An INTELLIGENT solution would have been to find a way to cover the 20 to 30 million instead of attempting to take over the entire healthcare system. Why mess with the entiire countries healthcare systems, unless the intent was for the government to have full control of yet another facet of our lives?
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The US population in 2012 was 313 million. The number of uninsured in 2012 was 17.7% (and rising). That means 55.4 million people without insurance. Funny how estimate numbers don’t reflect the real ones very well.
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Actually I said – Thanks Marvin – Hope all is well, Rod
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Since we now know that Hamilton (or his staffers) read this blog, let me remind everyone that his original comment following the Supreme Court decision was:
“Chief Justice John Roberts said, “It is not our job to protect the people from the consequences of their political choices.” and called it a tax. Which is the largest tax increase on the middle class since the imposition of the income tax.
For you history buffs, income taxes first came into being in 1862 to help fund the Civil War.
Not letting facts get in their way, the Republicans had their “biggest tax EVER talking point ready! And dozens chimed in, including Rush, who called it the “biggest tax increase in the history of the WORLD.”
Since these fateful pronouncements, which many mistook as gospel, a lot of research has been done. Recorded history and the Internet make it a whole lot easier to find the truth if you want to hear it. There is no better research – and none easier to read and understand- than a CHART showing tax increases in the US throughout history. Well, as far back as 1950, that is.
If you, too, are interested in the facts, read on:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/07/02/no-obamacare-isnt-the-largest-tax-increase-in-the-history-of-the-world-in-one-chart/
I trust the chart. I don’t trust politicians who make contrary statements. So, Rep. Hamilton, since you opened this can of worms, would you like to now retract – or at least clarify – your right wing-inspired statement? We’ll be watching.
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This is a TAX, plain and simple….and MANY more to come from this”affordable health care”act. If the last 4 years of obama policies haven’t convinced people we need a change, this mandate surely will.
Rep. Hamilton is right on when he says the final ruling will come in Nov. People like eastender and their left wing-inspired statements will be spinning all the way to election day. This Nov will be remembered in history as the election that the people took their country back. Happy 4th of July everyone…
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Would somebody please explain what “taking the country back” means? It is by far the stupidest, most meaningless expression the tea party faithful have come up with. I’d quit using it if I were you, unless you can clearly define it. Get back to us, will you?
As for it being a “tax”, even Romney and his campaign can’t make up their minds. Two days ago, they declared that it’s “not a tax, it’s a penalty”. Well, today the flip flopper reversed course:
http://www.boston.com/politicalintelligence/2012/07/04/mitt-romney-says-healthcare-penalty-tax-contradicting-spokesman-who-said-was-not/jUnLrdZGjGTo6iAKuinloO/story.html
The Republicans can’t get it straight in their own mind and you expect them to explain it to voters? Can you blame anyone for being confused?
The argument is whether or not the Republican machine is telling the TRUTH to the American people. And they simply are not. The only reason they cry “biggest tax increase in the history of the world” is to SCARE people. I see that’s worked in your case. Better informed people can see right through it.
I wasn’t going to use the “L” word, but it’s painfully clear to anyone with half a brain that Rep. Hamilton LIED to his constituents when he made the statement. Whether or not he did it unknowingly is not the point. Perhaps he was just spouting Republican talking points. But, he said it, we KNOW the statement was false, and he’s accountable for it as an adult and as an elected official. He should own up to it. Sorry, but political hacks and party mouthpieces don’t deserve another term.
My comments are inspired by the TRUTH. I prefer to base my arguments on FACTS out there, in black and white, which people can choose to ignore, or to believe or not, depending on their political leanings. You offer nothing but platitudes (“take your country back”) and continue to defend those who deceive. Hamilton doesn’t need you to defend him. We’ll wait for him to respond.
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Washington Post?? Are you serious? It is one of THE farthest left leaningand dishonest papers in the country!! As I wrote previously; I could tell immediately where you were getting your so called “facts” from. It was painfully obvious. The Post,( if you had read A REAL news source), are infamous for reporting FALSE statements and have been repeatedy called out on them. What’s you r next source, MediaMatters. Huffington Post? Garnering your “facts” from the sites you mention does nothing more than PROVE you have no idea what you speak of, and are only following the trail of lies layed down for you to pick up, and carry for the disaster of a political party you support. THANK YOU Mr Hamilton for at least trying to keep a little sanity in the state.
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Where do you get YOUR facts, ellamay? Just curious.
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Eastender says—”Would somebody please explain what “taking the country back” means? It is by far the stupidest, most meaningless expression the tea party faithful have come up with. I’d quit using it if I were you, unless you can clearly define it. Get back to us, will you?”
In the words of one of the greatest presidents……Government’s First Duty is to Protect the People, NOT Run their Lives_
Ronald Reagan
And to ellamay…..Well said!
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This still doesn’t tell me what you’re going to “take the country back” from. The government has really “taken over your lives”? Where do you live? Cuba? What exactly are you afraid of that keeps you awake at night? What a bunch of baloney.
Still waiting for ellamay to tell us where she gets her ‘facts’, so we can ALL follow her lead and become as enlightened as she is. What newspapers? TV networks? Blogs? Radio?
None of you major whiners has yet said how many freedoms you’ve LOST since Obama became President. (You all brought it up, in some way or another. ) Your silence is deafening, leading me to believe you haven’t lost a darn thing. Put up or, as they say, shut up.
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I too would like to know what that phase means. Also, Family values…thats one that hasn’t even been tacted down and how the GOP somehow thinks they solely own it.
In terms of Reagan…his 1982 tax raise was .8% of the GDP….which appears to be almost twice what the Affordable Care Act would tax. Odd quote from a man that also bust down a private union. Seems he was involved in plenty of lives on that situation and not protect their rights.
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“Still waiting for ellamay to tell us where she gets her ‘facts’, so we can ALL follow her lead and become as enlightened as she is. What newspapers? TV networks? Blogs? Radio?”— I’ve told you before but here goes again; I watch Fox, CNN, CBS. I read numerous different news websites, conservative as well as liberal. When I suspect something doesn’t quite make sense, I check with other sites such as the Congressional Budget Office (which has really low balled the ACA costs, stating as early as May 15 2010, that the ACA would cost $115 Billion more than original estimates ), and lately has said it will cost over $1.6 TRILLION. Don’t depend on the “FactCheck” sites too much because all have a slant to one side of the aisle or other. Do your own fact checking with public records, easily available onlin,e and you will see for yourself that BOTH sides like to snudge a bit when it comes to facts. Believing what you are spoon fed by your political affiliation of choice, does nothing to make ones self personally enlightened. And I have listed “freedoms” EVERYONE will be losing in the next few short years. I don’t worry about what I lost TODAY, as much as I do about what I KNOW I will lose in the near future. I look at the WHOLE picture, NOT what is sitting in front of me at the moment!
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1.6 trillion over 10 years to cover all americans with some health insurance. I would say thats a steal, considering that the wars over the last 10 years have cost the US 3-4 trillion….and what do we have to show for that spending?
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“There is no better research – and none easier to read and understand- than a CHART showing tax increases in the US throughout history. Well, as far back as 1950, that is.
If you, too, are interested in the facts, read on:”
—– Quite a laughable chart Ezra Klein has come up with to bamboozle the public, and make his followers believe the increase wasn’t the highest. Follow the chart, see anything missing? Why, he ignored the individual mandate tax that will be levied on us. He apparently forgot the the Supremes said it was a TAX, and that the DOJ lawyers agued it as such in the Supreme Court. Why would he leave such important data out of his chart? He wouldn’t be trying to mislead the undecided public yet again would he? Like I said, do your OWN research. You’d be amazed at what you are missing.
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The mandate tax is in the Affordable Care Act that he used in the graph. It is still almost half the 1982 tax plan passed by the great Reagan.
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