ST Alpha - "On the tax thing.. I get the reasons listed except for one thing

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On the tax thing.. I get the reasons listed except for one thing - choice.

Posted by colin (aka colinski) Jun 28 '12, 10:37

Tax tanning - I can choose not to go, pay the tax if I do. Home ownership - I get a benefit (break) if I own, I get nothing if I don't. All things come down to being taxed if you choose to USE a service being discouraged and getting a benefit if you choose to USE a service or engage in a behavior that's encouraged.

Health insurance is different - by choosing NOT to participate, I get taxed. I can't think of anything else like where this is the case - don't do it, or get taxed. Why not give a break for those that HAVE insurance to encourage getting?

Also, if I have enough money to pay fully in cash any need I have medically, why should I be taxed for not carrying a service I don't need?

This thinking is what concerns me.

Just to be silly, couldn't we now say that unless you attend at least one Hollywood movie in a theater and present a ticket stub, you'll be subject to a $10 tax per year to encourage this behavior? Or couldn't we say unless you have a gym membership, you'll be taxed? Or tax folks for not owning cars? Or for not owning a house, instead of offering a rebate to those that do?

Responses:

"if I have enough money to pay fully in cash..." The only people who can do that are millionaire, health care is way too expensive for people to - James Bond (aka Igor) Jun 28, 10:49 1
- that's who I was talking about. why should millionaires get taxed because they choose to take on the cost personally. - colin Jun 28, 10:52
It's akin to car insurance. If you drive, you have to have car insurance. - Inigo Jun 28, 10:47 16
- i can choose not to own a car and pay nothing. -- nm - colin Jun 28, 10:47 15
  - You can also choose to not pay your taxes. -- nm - JaxSean Jun 28, 10:53 3
    - not legally. but i can choose not to have a car... legally. -- nm - colin Jun 28, 10:56 2
      - [deleted] 1
        
        no, but i have lost 25 lbs since you last saw me. at this rate, i won't have a body soon! -- nm - colin Jun 28, 10:58
  - See Don Homer's point. With a body and being alive, you run the risk of needing health care. -- nm - Inigo Jun 28, 10:50 2
    - In other words, having a body would be the equivalent of owning a car in the analogy. -- nm - Inigo Jun 28, 10:51 1
      - good point. what other things will i NEED at some point by having a body? - colin Jun 28, 10:58
  - And you can choose to have no health insurance, pay the "tax" and still have US shelling out more of our money for YOUR healthcare needs. -- nm - Jim Jun 28, 10:48 5
    - i don't know about you, but when i've not had health insurance, i paid 100% cash out of my pocket, not taking advantage of "free" services - colin Jun 28, 10:51 4
      - god forbid you are ever hit by a car, or need chemo, or need something that isn't a visit to a GP. -- nm - Andie Jun 28, 10:54 3
        
        i have insurance.. those aren't worries! -- nm - colin Jun 28, 10:55 2
        
        [deleted] 1
        
        here the thing on all of this... - colin Jun 28, 11:00
  - can you choose to not ever get sick? -- nm - Andie Jun 28, 10:48
  - you can also choose not to live and pay nothing. -- nm - Don Homer Jun 28, 10:48
[deleted] 6
- we can get in to that discussion as well. - colin Jun 28, 10:48 5
  - [deleted] 2
    - that's not a bad idea.. you use an ER... you get a fee tacked on to your taxes. - colin Jun 28, 10:56 1
      - [deleted]
  - on the other hand, having a kid requires one to undertake a lot more economic activity that *is* taxed... - znufrii Jun 28, 10:50
  - [deleted]
Health insurance is different because if you don't have it someone else pays for it. INEVITABLY. - musubi Jun 28, 10:41 11
- Roads... thought those were paid for by car and gas taxes...if I don't drive or own a car, I don't pay for roads, yeah? - colin Jun 28, 10:45 3
  - Sorry to say, but this is a very selfish view of society - Guigue Jun 28, 10:52
  - [deleted]
  - gas tax is covering less and less, general funds are covering more. -- nm - znufrii Jun 28, 10:46
- Oh yeah, and there is no difference except semantics in giving a tax break for those who have insurance and a tax penalty for those who don't. (nm) - musubi Jun 28, 10:44 6
  - it's not just semantics - if my neighbor has a kid, I don't pay more taxes as a direct result. - colin Jun 28, 10:47 4
    - [deleted] 2
      - i understand what you're saying... - colin Jun 28, 10:55 1
        
        [deleted]
    - It is *exactly* the same thing, because to give the break to those with, the rate of those without increases. (nm) - musubi Jun 28, 10:50
  - [deleted]
one example I came across... - znufrii Jun 28, 10:41 3
- you're getting a credit for having kids, not being taxed for not. not the same. -- nm - colin Jun 28, 10:43 1
  - in the end it's the same result. -- nm - znufrii Jun 28, 10:43
- What? There is no tax there? - Truman Jun 28, 10:42
At yet, you might not get taxed, do to other parts of that same law. There is a built in credit based on income and family size -- nm - Truman Jun 28, 10:40 1
- this is true.. and it seems like the tax bracket for this is kind of pointless.. - colin Jun 28, 10:42

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On the tax thing.. I get the reasons listed except for one thing - choice.

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