"Freeloader Tax"

[ErikJ]

A caller on the Alan Colmes show had a good idea. Call the tax/penalty for people who dont buy their own insurance, the "Freeloader tax" which would neutralize the GOP critics. Alan said this is what the Dems lack, good messaging labels like the GOP's Luntz is so good at.

[surrealAmerican]

1. We can do without the insults.

Just call it an "emergency services" tax, or some such. There is no need or utility to demonizing the uninsured.

[orpupilofnature57]

2. Demonizing is their forte ,Your right ...

theres a million other ways to characterize the situation.

[ErikJ]

4. The only people that will be taxed are those who can afford to buy their own

but choose to not buy it for whatever reason, which they say will only be 1% of the population. People who cant afford it or their income is too low qualify for insurance subsidy or Medicaid I think. So no insults involved.

[surrealAmerican]

10. There will be people who look like they "could" afford it ...

... who will still not be able to. They are people with other priorities (perhaps they don't want to give up on sending their kids to college, or are starting a business, or for some reason owe more money than they're worth). There are a million reasons why somebody who is above twice the poverty line might not be paying for insurance. We don't need to make them out to be some sort of "freeloaders".

[Motown_Johnny]

5. Emergency Services is a good one,

Minimum Services, Safety Net Tax... there are much better ways to go than "Freeloader".

[ErikJ]

6. We are NOT talking about those who truly cant afford their own insurance.

Just those that can afford it but wont buy it. 1% of the population will do this.

[orpupilofnature57]

7. The 1% of the population that aspires to be the 1%

because they see the rewards of ,scamming royally.

[Raine]

8. Yeah but how long before those that can't afford it get slappd with the same label

look at the unfair labels that are on needy people who get food stamps etc.

[ErikJ]

9. Repubs use "freeloader" all the time. So this uses their own term against them.

Verbal jiu-jitsu. Dems have to get tougher in the war of words or they'll lose.

[Igel]

11. Gee, thanks.

You called me a freeloader because I was young, healthy, and decided to save money instead of buying insurance that would have been prohibitively expensive.

It was a gamble. Then again, every time I drive to work it's a gamble that I won't be killed. My life insurance doesn't equal the earnings I'm likely to provide for my family until my retirement (and beyond).

Didn't freeload. In fact, when I went to the doctor I paid higher rates than Medicaid and Medicare recipients--whose reimbursement rates barely met the breakeven point, without any safety net for broken equipment or doctor illness--and paid rates higher even than those paid by private insurance companies. In other words, I was helping to subsidize them.

And I'm the freeloader?

[MrSlayer]

12. It hits them on their own terms.

The right loves to call people freeloaders so the best way to make them squirm is to claim they are in favor of freeloading.

Calling it something else takes the teeth out of it. Now is not the time to worry about insults or hurt feelings, now is the time to step on necks.