Congress did a big favor last week for about one third of seniors on Medicare, roughly two-thirds of low-income families on Medicaid, people who are getting insurance in the (Obamacare) exchanges and everyone else with private insurancewhether obtained at work or on their own. What did Congress do for all these folks? It delayed the imposition of health reform taxes.
But wait a minute. Didnt Barack Obama promise no new taxes on anyone who isnt rich? He did indeed: Here is Obamas 2008 campaign promise:
I can make a firm pledge under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes.
In fact, if you watch the video, you will see that this promise was every bit as emphatic as George H.W. Bushs read my lips pledge, two decades earlier. The difference: to my knowledge not a single reporter has ever asked President Obama why he reneged.