koshergrl
Diamond Member
- Aug 4, 2011
- 81,129
- 14,025
"Obamacare is not merely a massive overhaul of the health care system. It is also a substantial expansion of the Internal Revenue Service. Thats because the law relies on the tax collection agency to both enforce its individual mandate and administer the tax credits the law offers to subsidize the purchase of health insurance."
"
For one thing, the IRS appears to have specifically targeted groups that opposed the health care law. According to The Washington Post, although some of the groups were explicitly labeled tea party or patriot, others that came under intense scrutiny were focused on challenging the Affordable Care Act known by many as Obamacare or the integrity of federal elections.
In other words, the agency has singled out Obamacare opponents for unusual treatment. That does not speak well of the agencys ability to fairly carry out its duties under the law."
"
Perhaps more importantly, however, the agency has already launched an attempt to subvert the health laws clear statutory language. As I noted earlier today, the text of the legislation specifies that the laws tax credits for private insurance are available in exchanges created by states. It does not provide for those subsidies to be available in exchanges run by the federal government. Yet the IRS rule regarding the tax credits essentially ignored this, and allowed for the subsidies to be available in both state and federally run exchanges.
What this means is that the IRS is already taking creative liberties with the administrative duties it is assigned under the health law. Its already attempting to use its power to expand Obamacare beyond the specifics of its statute. Its already ignoring the text of the law when doing so suits its purposes.
And it has done so with the explicit support of the same top official who claimed that there was absolutely no targeting of conservative groups going on at the IRS."
How the IRS Scandal Threatens Obamacare - Hit & Run : Reason.com
"
For one thing, the IRS appears to have specifically targeted groups that opposed the health care law. According to The Washington Post, although some of the groups were explicitly labeled tea party or patriot, others that came under intense scrutiny were focused on challenging the Affordable Care Act known by many as Obamacare or the integrity of federal elections.
In other words, the agency has singled out Obamacare opponents for unusual treatment. That does not speak well of the agencys ability to fairly carry out its duties under the law."
"
Perhaps more importantly, however, the agency has already launched an attempt to subvert the health laws clear statutory language. As I noted earlier today, the text of the legislation specifies that the laws tax credits for private insurance are available in exchanges created by states. It does not provide for those subsidies to be available in exchanges run by the federal government. Yet the IRS rule regarding the tax credits essentially ignored this, and allowed for the subsidies to be available in both state and federally run exchanges.
What this means is that the IRS is already taking creative liberties with the administrative duties it is assigned under the health law. Its already attempting to use its power to expand Obamacare beyond the specifics of its statute. Its already ignoring the text of the law when doing so suits its purposes.
And it has done so with the explicit support of the same top official who claimed that there was absolutely no targeting of conservative groups going on at the IRS."
How the IRS Scandal Threatens Obamacare - Hit & Run : Reason.com
