Saturday, September 12, 2009

Hidden tax

On Wednesday did you hear Obama admit something he has denied all year? "And it's why those of us with health insurance are also paying a hidden and growing tax for those without it – about $1000 per year that pays for somebody else's emergency room and charitable care."

He has a valid point here. When someone who does not have medical insurance goes to the ER for "free" treatment, the cost is simply passed along to those who do pay for treatment. The hidden tax is the inflated price we pay for insurance or for medical attention.

So when is Obama going to admit that Cap and Trade is also a hidden tax on anyone who drives a car, uses electricity, or buys a product which consumes energy to produce or transport?

1 comment:

Colin said...

Government uses regulations to change incentives for the good of society. The emission of greenhouse gases has an enormous social cost. Cap and trade is a market-based means of creating an appropriate incentive to constrain emissions and then using market principles to distribute it efficiently across society. I'd think conservatives would like that approach, as opposed to a draconian across-the-board cut.

Anything that costs business more is not a "hidden tax" on everyone. Or does that mean, extending the logic, if the government does something to financially benefit business that's a hidden tax cut?

rah