Since the recent ruling by the Supreme Court where Chief Justice Roberts and the 4 so called “liberal judges” ruled that Obamacare in the vast majority of it’s entirety was Constitutional because the “individual mandate” was just a tax on those who would not engage in paying for health insurance if they were able to afford it.  Republicans have grabbed on to that ruling and are now proclaiming far and loud across the land that “Obamacare is the largest tax increase in the history of the world”.

Well – that’s not true.  That’s not even remotely true.  As Ezra Klein says:

So no, the Affordable Care Act isn’t the “biggest tax hike in history.” It’s not even the biggest tax hike in the past 60 years. Or 50 years. Or 30 years. Or 20 years.

So let’s see who has passed larger taxes.  Truman, Johnson, Reagan, Carter, Clinton and Bush Sr.  They all passed larger tax increases.

Politifact rates the Republicans claim as a “Pants on Fire” lie.  They breakdown the tax increases HERE:

• Starting in 2013, Medicare payroll taxes increase 0.9 percentage points for people with incomes over $200,000 ($250,000 for couples filing jointly). Also, people at this income level would pay a new 3.8 percent tax on investment income. The 10-year cost: $210.2 billion.
• Starting in 2018, a new 40 percent excise tax on high-cost health plans, so-called “Cadillac plans” (over $10,200 for individuals, $27,500 for families), kicks in. That’s expected to bring the government a total of $32 billion in 2018 and 2019.
• Starting in 2011, there’s a new fee for pharmaceutical manufacturers and importers. That’s expected to raise $27 billion over 10 years.
• Starting in 2013, a 2.3 percent excise tax on manufacturers and importers of certain medical devices starts. The 10-year total: $20 billion.
• Starting in 2014, a new annual fee on health insurance providers begins. Total estimated 10-year revenue: $60.1 billion.
• Starting in 2013, the floor on medical expense deductions on itemized income tax returns will be raised from 7.5 percent to 10 percent of income. That’s expected to bring in $15.2 billion over the next 10 years.
• Starting in 2011, a 10 percent excise tax on indoor tanning services. That’s expected to bring in $2.7 billion over the next 10 years.

Politifact points out:

The plan includes government money, in the form of tax credits, to subsidize the cost of health insurance for lower-income people who don’t get insurance through their employer. For the record, many Republicans and tax experts argue those shouldn’t count as tax cuts. And there is a tax cut for some very small businesses that allows them to write off a portion of the cost of providing insurance to their employees.

So – Republicans are willing to call Obamacare a tax increase … but they won’t call tax credits or subsidizing of health care a “tax cut”.  Got it?

In fact – if you add up all of the tax increases that Reagan had under various bills – he had significantly higher tax cuts than President Obama.  And as Kevin Drum points out HERE:

Republicans are now saying it’s the ‘biggest tax increase in history’ — either of America or the universe of whatever. But this is demonstrably false.

The Congressional Budget Office says the mandate penalty will raise $27 billion between 2012 and 2021. $27 billion over a decade. Anybody who cares to can do the math. But if you want to call it a ‘tax increase’ — which is debatable — it’s clearly one of tiniest ones in history.

Lastly – if Obamacare is a tax … Romneycare is a tax.  Obamacare was modeled after Romney’s Massachusetts program; there are very few differences.  So you’re going to continue to hear that Obamacare raised everyone’s taxes (that haven’t hit yet) and it’s killing American jobs … that companies are afraid to hire because of these tax like chupacabras that are hiding underneath America’s collective beds.  All of that will be said despite the the fact that corporate profits are at an all time high and millions of Americans will receive either free or discounted health insurance.

Because it’s much more important for people to learn the lesson that they should have worked harder to pay for that chemotherapy and ya know … life has consequences.  So – when you die or go bankrupt because you can’t afford the medical care … the Republican party is just trying to teach you personal responsibility.  You know – as opposed to socialism.

Chart can be found HERE.

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