1. If McCain taxes our healthcare benefits, but gives us a $5,000 tax credit, what does that mean? Is he going to tax the whole value of our benefits or just what we pay per month or what our employer puts in per month or what? And how will giving everyone a $5,000 tax credit help us get healthcare when it costs more than that? I mean, please, if everyone could get healthcare for $5,000 a year, many of us wouldn’t be in the jam we’re in. Both parties seem to believe that people are uninsured out of petulance, it seems.
2. I don’t understand Middle East Politics at all so I don’t know. But would Iran really attack Isreal with a nuclear bomb? In 1945, a nuclear bomb caused destruction in a 4 mile radius of where the bomb dropped. Modern nuclear weapons might reach 2-5 times that distance (anywhere from 8 to 20 miles). So, where exactly would Iran bomb Isreal? I mean, I don’t mean to be an idiot here, but, if your goal is to “wipe Isreal off the map,” it doesn’t seem to me like you’re going to bomb small towns and villages, right? Why would you waste a nuclear bomb on an insignificant target?
So, you’re going to pick a significant target, right? Okay, so what’s that target?
It’s not that big a country and the cities seem pretty close together. Where do you bomb that doesn’t risk damaging the Dome of the Rock and the other religious sites in your target area?
Is there really a chance that Iran would drop nuclear bombs on a country within which are some of the holiest sites of Islam? Or are we just being told that as some kind of boogy man crap to try to scare us into thinking that we have to deal with Iran right now and swiftly?
I mean, it’s clear to me that Iran is problematic, as far as countries go, but I just can’t get a read on whether this nuclear bomb thing is a real problem or just something I’m supposed to take as truth.
Filed under: Random Things
1. McCain misstated his own health care plan. His idea is to give $2500 per adult (the $5k is a per household with married male-female couples limit). So it’s exactly half as good as it sounded and it didn’t sound all that good before. Yes, his plan would tax benefits as a form of income.
2. Mostly boogeyman crap. Tel Aviv might be a possibility, but as you say, it’s probably too close (36 miles) to Jerusalem. I think that State Department officials and policy analysts are more afraid that Iran will sell nuclear weapons or nuclear-grade materials to non-state terrorist organizations. “I will defend Israel” is election-year code for “oh please, Florida Jews, vote for meeeeeee!”
On point 1: the bipartisan charade continues on yet another issue. Who honestly believes that either candidate is going to put the needs of the majority of our population ahead of the interests of the insurance companies, Big Pharma, etc.? Find me that person, so that I may offer them some fine beachfront property in Atlantis. If we want universal health care, we have to vote for it, B. And that will mean voting outside the bipartisan cesspool. Hell, the two jokers running for president now don’t even pay lip service to the concept. I guess they know we’re willing to keep munching on that particular shit sandwich.
Point 2: Iran is not a realistic threat at all. Not to Israel, not to us. All the saber-rattling and fear-mongering is intended to do just what you suggest: to provide pseudo-moral cover for using illegitimate means of bending Iran to our will.
Bridgett, I’m sorry to be so dense about this, but I still don’t get what McCain is proposing. Right now, I think I pay about $100 a month for my health insurance but that comes out of my check before taxes. I have some of the best health insurance in the state.
So, if I’m understanding, I’d still pay $100 a month, but I’d also pay, say, $25 a month in taxes on that $100. So, while my health insurance now costs me about $1,200 a year, it would then go up to $1,500 a year, but I would get back from the government $2,500 dollars, so I would, in effect, make $1,000? Pay $1,000 less taxes? I’m confused.
But if you have family insurance at my employer, you’re paying between $200 and $300 a month (not counting dental and vision). If you paid 25% tax on that (just as an estimate), that would be another $50 to, what, $75 a month for healthcare. That could be $4,500 a year in healthcare. Add vision and dental on to that and you’re topping the $5,000 mark pretty easily.
And I work for one of the largest employers in the state, which is able to negotiate very good rates for us.
How could an uninsured person take that $2,500 and get health insurance with it?
It seems all it does is make my health insurance free.
Am I missing something here? I benefit because I already have insurance. But someone who doesn’t have insurance through their employer is still going to be screwed, isn’t he?
B., it isn’t supposed to help anyone in the real world. It is an ideological construction designed to appeal to a certain segment of the electorate (the ’self-reliance’ and ‘free-market’ fundamentalists, among others). Like one of my (well-paid, unionized, and taxpayer-funded) colleagues, who actually once said “I don’t think the government should get involved in health care.”
Under McCain’s proposal, am I, in essence, loaning the government $25 a month, which they would then give back to me at the end of the year? Plus more?
Am I stupid for not getting this?
No, as CS says, it’s deliberately confusing. I have to step out for a couple of hours, but here it is from the horse’s mouth:
http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/19ba2f1c-c03f-4ac2-8cd5-5cf2edb527cf.htm
To me, it looks like he plans to make the relationship between insurance companies and you a direct one, so that you have no negotiating power. Employers can choose to provide insurance as a perk to attract better employees, but he’s not going to require it. HSAs for everyone…who can afford them…and remove competitive restrictions from private health insurers…
Bad deal all the way around for workers. I bet it sounds great to his insurance lobbyist advisors and campaign donors, though.
1. If I’m understanding it right, what you would be paying taxes on under McCain’s plan is not the $100/month (or whatever) you yourself pay towards your health insurance (whether it’s taken out of your paycheck or you write a check for it), but on the amount that your employer contributes towards that insurance. To find out how much that is, switch over to COBRA: the jump in your monthly rate is what your employer has quietly been contributing. That amount (or, if you’re like me, the monthly amount your employer pays towards your self-insurance) is what would be taxable. Which, if you think about it, is an even worse financial hit.
2. Bridgett, Iran can’t feasibly nuke Tel Aviv because it’s right next to Jaffa and there are too many Muslims living there, and they can’t nuke Haifa because most of the population is Arab, so there are the three biggest cities taken off the list right there. In fact, Iran could, if it so chose, drop non-nuclear bombs anywhere in Israel right now, but you’ll notice that that hasn’t happened. Possibly because Ahmadinejad, while a crazy fool, doesn’t have the trigger. Which makes his bluster rather beside the point.
I think the motivation with Iran is that WE (USA and Israel) would like to maintain the ability to invade or strike them if they misbehave, without having to worry about being nuked, either directly or through surrogates.
There are a lot of holes in what’s on McCain’s site. Most notably, what about those who are NOT denied health care coverage, but must accept coverage with exclusions that effectively renders their “coverage” weak and useless.
For example, I can get a personal plan, but it won’t cover anything to do with allergies or my uterus, the two things that have been the cause of all health issues I’ve had in the last 15 years. Thanks, guys. I’m insured against a broken leg, but not for finding out exactly what I’m allergic to or any treatment to relieve my symptoms. And that blanket exclusion for my uterus stems from exploratory surgery that found nothing wrong with me!
I think (one) real answer is to make all insurance companies non-profits. No one will suggest that, though. But it’ll certainly help those who have coverage actually get their bills paid. And prevent many more people from getting denied.
Ex, I think that both the US and Israel have demonstrated the ability to do just that already.
I think (one) real answer is to make all insurance companies non-profits.
A very Republican colleague, who used to work in insurance, agreed with me when I proposed exactly that after Obama won the Iowa caucus. As it stands, insurance companies are legally obligated to maximize profit for shareholders, but not to provide for care.
The question is, how do we make that transition? Private equity’s out with the current market. Maybe tax-deduct share values as charitable contributions?
I don’t really see any flaws in your logic on Iran. But logic may not be what’s called for. You never know when someone may decide running a little risk to their religious landmarks or killing a few Arabs is worth it if they can kill a lot of Jews. I’d say Jerusalem is safe, but somebody might decide Tel Aviv is far enough away to make it a small risk.
on point 1, i have no idea what McCain’s thinking, even if he is.
on point 2 – if the Iranians were crazy enough to start a nuclear war (and they are not), their first target would be the Dimona site. that’d be the Israelis’ nuclear weapons production plant. i don’t know where they store their completed warheads, and i suspect the Israelis take great pains to keep it that way.
modern nuclear weapons can be made a great deal more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb, yes. but conversely they can also be made a good deal less so, and most of the recent (last thirty years or so) nuke bomb r&d projects seem to have been aimed that way. the really huge bombs of the 1960s were because the missiles of that day were inaccurate as heck; once guidance systems improved, that was all wasted power.
of course, just what kind of nuclear weapon the Iranians might be able to build if and when they get that capacity (in ten to fifteen years, or so) is anybody’s guess. probably not any very advanced one. their delivery systems are equally question marks; they’ve got ballistic missiles that can reach Israel, but if even the Iranians really know how accurate and reliable those missiles are, i should be quite surprised.
that the Iranians want the bomb goes without saying. they’re at odds with the USA, which judging by Russia, China, Pakistan, and North Korea only respects nuclear powers. as well, they’re close by Pakistan and India, longtime bitter rivals who both have nukes and very little stopping same from being used in their neverending low-level war. they’re also not that far from China, which is right next door to the India-Pakistan bubbling mess; the Chinese of course have their own nukes, and a long-standing preference for peace and quiet in their regional neighborhood, if they can’t have outright Chinese domination of it. in short, the Iranians would have to be ludicrously naive not to want nukes, even if it weren’t for Israel.
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The 2,500/5,000 dollar tax credit is payed directly to the insurance company. nm is right under McCain’s plan we would be taxed the total cost of our health insurance. An average family plan cost about 12,000 per year( through employer). So this average family could then add 12 grand to their taxable income per year, or 7 grand after the credit. My insurance comes from the same place B’s does and suspect it cost more than 12 thousand.
The company B works for sends out a report each year outlining exactly how much the y pay for insurance for employees.
Okay, wait. I’m sorry to be an idiot about this and embarrassed to be an idiot about this in public. But hold the phone.
Okay, so what you’re saying is that I could make, say $30,000 a year. And my employer could provide me with, let’s say, $10,000 worth of health insurance.
I would then be taxed as if I were making $40,000 a year?
And then I’d get my $2,500 tax credit which would go to the insurance company to pay for what?
I’m sorry. This literally makes no sense to me. I’d make thirty, be taxed like I was making forty, and then my tax “relief” would go to the insurance company?
How is that any credit or relief to me at all?
And not to put too fine a point on it but $2,500 doesn’t cover jack shit. I had health insurance last year and I had to have a biopsy on a lymph node in my lung and I ended up paying $3,000 out of pocket.
There is no insurance company in the world that has a policy that only costs $2,500 that would actually do anyone any good.
Plus, and I’m pissed now, how in the hell can any Republican argue about Democrats wanting to raise taxes when their candidate wants to tax your health care?! At least the Democrats are going to take money I actually earn, not whatever number my employer gives them about what I earn plus whatever my insurance benefit is worth.
I’m sorry, but that’s not just a tax increase that’s “let’s all us rich folks sit around and increase your taxable income by some magic number you have no control over.” It’s an algebra tax, where I’m not just taxed on my income, I’m taxed on my income + x where x=whatever the hell number my employer wants to put on that benefit.
Yeah, that’s just what I want, my employer setting my tax rate. Also, way to force the people at the bottom of the pay scale into taking the shittiest health insurance.
What bullshit.
How is that any credit or relief to me at all?
B. you’re in the middle class. you’re supposed to get screwed by republican plans. What part of the last eight years did you miss?
I think that is right B. I’m pretty sure the McCain plan is also to deregulate the insurance industry so they can deny coverage to high-risk people.
Aunt B., You’re one of those college-educated ‘elites’. The two-thirds of the country who didn’t go to college might not put two-and-two together and figure out how badly the Republicans intend to screw them. And the 20% or so who didn’t graduate High School, what chance do they have of sorting this stuff out?
BTW, I have decent corporate group health insurance (not great, not crap), and mine costs me about $120 per month, and my employer about $500 per month (single person).
Ok, I double checked with my reliable source, my Dad. He said the value of your insurance, 12 thousand would be taxed as income.
Another thing is our employers will no longer be able to deduct what they pay for our insurance. I’ll estimate and say of this 12 thousand, they pay around 8 thousand. That will destroy the employer based health care system.
So, just to summarize, McCain’s health care plan is to a) deregulate the insurance industry, which will thereby b) destroy the employer-based health care system, c) raise middle class taxes through the back door, and d) deny insurance to anyone high risk or with a pre-existing condition.
Wow. It’s a plan, I guess, but it’s a piss-poor plan.
on the contrary, it’s an excellent plan. once you assume that the desired end goal is the destruction of the american middle class.
Iran wants nukes for the same reason the superpowers stockpiled them throughout the Cold War, as a deterrent. We do not want a check on Israel’s power as the only nuke armed Middle Eastern country, nor do many of their neighbors, like the Saudis, who would not like to have their fiefdoms upturned and wealth more democratically redistributed (Palin wink).
Now, mind you, the lad calling for the obliteration of Israel would not have a finger on the button, he does not control Iran’s military, he is not the Commander-in-chief.