Obamacare nothing but a nasty tax

To The Eagle:

Debating Obamacare with respect to the commerce clause of the constitution was a messy process, since that poor abused clause is among the most bent and battered by previous incarnations of the Supreme Court, and any finding might have left stray parts of this monstrous law standing. Chief Justice Roberts' brilliant move just lets the law stand but properly identifies it as a tax -- a huge, ugly tax. The current squabble among pols and pundits as to whether it is the largest tax increase in history is beside the point. It is a large regressive tax falling mostly on the middle class and small business in support of a an ill-conceived program that solves no problems and makes most of them worse.

A case in point is the upcoming closure of our local nursing home, caused mostly by inadequate Medicare payments coupled with a Gordian knot of regulations. Local political hopefuls have made noises about forming committees to save the place, but this is a struggle that the talented and capable Duncan Cruickshank has been engaged in for several years. If he couldn't succeed, it is highly doubtful that anyone else can even make a dent in the problem, but it does make good political theatre. This is, incidentally, the same problem that caused the closure of the Hotel Cathlamet as an assisted living facility several years ago. Obamacare promises to gut the already ailing Medicaid, and decrease payments to doctors and other medical professionals.

Identifying Obamacare as a nasty tax offers a simple solution to the larger problem: in four months, just vote in members of the opposition party who are pledged to repeal the Obomination and start over. There are plenty of 'em out there, including the presidential candidate. It'll then take another year or so to get the economy rolling again, but then maybe we can start over on the nursing home, and have enough money left over to break ground on Cathlamet International Airport--Puget Island Grass Strip (CIA-PIGS).

Howard Brawn

Puget Island