Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : A US National Health Care System? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lane3 who wrote (4058)	1/19/2008 4:42:30 PM
From: Road Walker	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 42652

Now, we have half of the population not paying any income tax. Presumably these people would get their coverage free. They may not pay income tax, but they pay taxes. In fact a larger percentage of their discretionary income (and maybe their entire income) than the very wealthy.

To: Lane3 who wrote (4058)	1/19/2008 6:00:45 PM
From: Katelew	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 42652

Now, we have half of the population not paying any income tax But those people are employed. Remember we only have 5% unemployment in this country. They're working at low wage jobs. This is the group known as the 'working poor'. They're not welfare cheats. In fact, I would guess a significant portion of that 50% that don't owe federal income taxes are in an employer health care plan right now. For example, two married full-time employees of Burger King would receive health insurance. But if they're paid barely above minimum wage and have a child, after exemptions, etc. they would fall in a category of not owing federal taxes. I'm sure all the chicken pluckers that work the lines at a Tyson Foods poultry plant in my area are in Tyson's health plans...they have to be by law......but they only make around $8/hour. A single mother with a child working there wouldn't owe taxes. In a single-payer system, employers would keep paying premiums for their employees. They would just send the check to the government. There's no reason to assume the government would be picking up the tab for a significant number of people since the cost of the insurance would theoretically be lower.