so basically, you are saying your answer to the GOP socializing half of wall street.....is more socialization? sorry about your luck with Fords, I have owned nothing but Ford my whole life (minus a hand me down Astro Van). Ford has very good for me.
Um, there are scholars at those universities that are related to the campaign. And the Wall Street Journal article - which would typically be more independent in my mind - specifically says one of the authors is an advisor. I don't need to be spoon-fed the ramifications of taxing benefits, I just want to see somewhere that confirms that this is actually part of his plan (this board is full of examples of the 'unbiased' media and opposing campaign statements being wrong). This is a chance for you left-wing guys to get someone off the fence and more firmly into Obama's column...I'm leaning but this would probably tip me.
I posted a link to the Dallas Morning news article which says the same thing. There's a number of articles that all say this.
Thanks for the reply but I'd already read that article and all the others posted in this thread. My problem is all the articles I read make statements about McCain's position on this, but none of them cited when he, anyone in his campaign, or his documented positions say anything about the tax exemption (remember there were lots of articles in respectable publications that said Palin opposed the Bridge to Nowhere until others did more research). I went through one of his long-winded speeches, his section on 'healthcare reform', and didn't see a mention of it. I sent an email to McCain's campaign, so I'll see what happens. The national review link does have a link to McCain's site, but it's just a link to his healthcare section that, again, doesn't seem to say anything about this exemption. For the record, I do the same thing when someone criticizes Obama's position (i.e., check his website) since I've heard some wild claims on that side as well.
The fact that McCain's website is purposefully opaque and that it's verified by hundreds of newspaper articles tends to indicate one thing to me. Anyway the fact that the centerpiece of his plan is a tax credit basically admits this. Health care benefits are currently exempt from taxation. Questtion: why would you need a tax credit for something that is exempt? Answer: If you are going to make that which is tax-exempt subject to taxation.
Sam, You either know better than this and are being purposefully dishonest, or you don't know jack about how the tax system works for lower and middle class in this country. (I suspect the former.) Hundreds of Millions of people get tax credits in excess of their tax withholdings. Earned income tax credit is working class welfare. Child tax credits are often in excess of taxes paid. There would be nothing new or surprising or new about a tax credit to buy a tax-deductible service.
Health care benefits from employers are not tax deductible - it's tax exempt. By definition if it's a tax credit, it's credited against taxes already paid. You can't get tax credit on something that isn't taxed at all. With the EITC you are getting a tax credit against taxes that are in theory at least paid (even though the credit may exceed the taxes paid.) But anyway - is it your position that McCain wants to keep tax exemption for health care AND pile a tax credit on top of it? So you will get not get taxed on health care AND get credited against the taxes you paid on healthcare (0$)? Because if so that position is not only grammatically incorrect - is not the reality of his plan.
Sam - Thanks for taking the time to respond sensibly. That was the logic that I was overlooking. After reading Landlord Landry's replies, I doubt there will be a serious McCain rebuttal. Barring a major change in the situation, you can congratulate yourself on pushing one generally conservative person into the Obama camp.
I'm sure all those old people in Florida are really going to love this!... McCain Plans Federal Health Cuts Medicare, Medicaid Spending Would Be Reduced to Offset Proposed Tax Credit John McCain would pay for his health plan with major reductions to Medicare and Medicaid, a top aide said, in a move that independent analysts estimate could result in cuts of $1.3 trillion over 10 years to the government programs. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122315505846605217.html bye bye Florida...
Being in the healthcare field, this is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Taxing healthcare benefits? Are you serious? I don't think I can even put a post together to describe this. I can only....just.....laugh.
