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Hey there, My Righties...

Whatzzzzz up!? How's it hangin'?

It has been while, I know. My bad. Sorry we haven't been hanging out.

It's just that some stuff has been going on. Not bad stuff, but stuff. You know...and I'm thinking that we just can't hang any more.

But hey, you guys are still my peeps - always will be. We had some good time, chillin', and I wish you the best. I know you're going to kick it on your own.

Best of luck with the OB-man. I think you guys are going to rule it with the ROmminator. Really. Good times ahead. For sure.

So take care.

Always your Bro,

Justice Roberts

A tax by any other name is still.... a tax
Now we will have to see how it plays out in the fall.

Yup, kind of interesting. I thought the governments primary argument was that it was not a tax. Seems he went out of his way to justify his call.

All the dem victory laps today have been about the "free" to this point rules changes, and none of them want to mention a peep about the biggest coming tax hike in our history. Without a little help in November, it may be a very expensive New Year.

I made a New Year�s resolution not to aggravate people on internet forums so I will try to say this delicately. Things usually do not end the way they begin.

When the dust settles the progressives will realize they fought tooth and nail for a mandate/tax that is exceptionally regressive. Not that I care either way. I just find it ironic.

This may actually help me out because I�m trying to figure out how to work less. When the insurance exchanges kick in I can go to independent contractor or part time status without having to worry about healthcare. If I keep my adjusted gross income below the cutoff I can even get federal assistance. Maybe I will only work a few months a year and have more fun.

I�m pretty sure I wasn�t the target demographic for healthcare reform...Or maybe I was. One never can tell.

Ryan, yep, you can probably do that. You could do it even before Obamacare. I know guys who did.

Someone will always want to game the system.

But there will be a lot of people with good ideas and a decent work ethic who will be able to start businesses, some of which may grow and employ significant numbers of people.

I guess it's all in the way people perceive opportunity.

Interesting Gnomon. This is a valid concept under any circumstance. What would make you believe it would be easier or better to start a business with the burden of higher overhead. Might perceived opportunity be a no bid contract servicing the new entitlement. Chances are the opportunities would more likely be an increase in government work force?

craig, I may be wrong on this but I think the number of gov't employees (not counting military) has retained about the same proportion of the total US population for a long time and probably won't change significantly.

I also suspect that there won't be a "burden of higher overhead" but rather a lowering of cost - if everyone is insured then the risk is distributed and individual premiums go down - this is why I had long hoped for a single-payer method. That's the ideal thing to promote small business - even Mom & Pop stores could afford to hire someone if they were all covered by some basic insurance. I know anecdotes cut both ways but a young guy around here has a thriving lawn-mowing/gardening business. He works dawn to dusk and is a very decent guy. He's killing himself because he cannot afford to hire full-time help. The labor market has gotten very tight and he's competing with other employers and he just can't manage to pay the salary and offer insurance.

Ryan made a very important point - when Obamacare cuts in he can afford to go "independent contractor" route. Many people will be able to do that, not necessarily to rip off the system but to do work they like better, to learn new skills and maybe spend time raising their kids. Some will have the goal of keeping their AGI way down; most people will still want to increase their incomes. Only rarely do people turn down the opportunity to earn more money.

I think the word "entitlement" carries different baggage for different folks. I don't think of being able to buy health insurance as an entitlement but I suppose others might. The two big beneficiaries of this cumbersome Obamacare are the private insurance companies and the public. I'm not sure where your "no-bid" comes in here - what will be no-bid?

Sorry- I rambled.

Gnomon,
Obamacare will not induce Ma and Pa stores to hire employees or help your start-up landscaper hire full time help.
Take your gardening specialist, in order to hire someone and be fully legal he will need a workers compensation policy and be charging enough and have a volume of work to pay his employer contributions all in all about 25% over the projected salary. He also needs and may not have liability insurance for his business and depending exactly where you reside may need state licensing and bonding and a City license for the areas he intends to work in. Also once employees are in play the house in which he resides is probably not zoned for contracting operations and he will have to rent a yard or office and increase his liability insurance to cover those premises. If in addition to just providing labor he also provides materials he will need to start collecting any sales tax if that is applicable. He will also need to be able to cover these costs even in a slow month. Oh and then there is the Obamacare.

PM - my age is showing! By "young" I meant in his 40s.

Everything you say about his business is true, except that you assume he's done none of it. He has been in biz some 20 years and isn't the kid next door with a borrowed lawn mower. In short, he's been running a real business for a long time. Why assume he's operating out of his house? The guy has several trucks and trailers for his equipment and operates out of a commercial building. He used to have 2 guys working for him but the labor market got very tight and they got poached.

And the guy's rates are not for the faint of heart! By the way, he's fully insured - his mower once threw a stone through a picture window and it was fully covered by his insurance company.

Obamacare may, as Ryan pointed out, may make it possible for some people to go the independent contractor route and my "young" landscape guy might get workers that way.

you are certainly wrong re the # of govt employees being the same over many years. There are far more state and fed workers now than 30 years ago. Just the enforcement of Obama care will add even more.