Let’s Go Surfing Now

Three years ago then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi explained ObamaCare to her House colleagues this way: “We must pass it for you to find out what is in it.”

Well now we know. The United States Supreme Court has confirmed our worst premonitions about this invasive new law and that ObamaCare is a massive tax increase. But this is a tax that is very different from what we’re used to. You see this is a tax on what you don’t do.

Say what?

That’s right if you don’t purchase government-approved health insurance you will pay a tax.

Let’s cut to the chase. It should be obvious to all sentient life forms that this issue has been elevated well beyond the debate over the best method to assure that decent health care is available to all Americans. With their ruling the justices have given absolute power to Congress to use taxation to coerce Americans into acting in concert with government dictates. Farfetched? Not at all.

Poll taxes are illegal under federal law. At one time some states used the taxing power to discriminate against the poor especially minorities. This is no longer allowed. However using the logic of the Supreme Court Congress would be free to tax citizens for not voting.

In an ideal society everyone would participate in an election but in the real world many value their freedom not to vote. And since generally those who do not vote have not taken the time to carefully analyze the issues and candidates our nation may be better off when votes are cast by those who are strongly motivated.

While they’re at it since Michelle Obama is all about “healthy eating” how about a tax on all those who refuse to eat their broccoli? This could easily be enforced by filling the skies over America with military drones with electronic surveillance devices and high resolution cameras to ensure compliance. This certainly seems to be the trend these days.

How about learning to swim? After being given approval by the courts to tax those who do not buy health insurance it is hardly a leap to suggest that in the interest of public safety Americans should be required to learn to swim and the enforcement mechanism would be to tax those who refuse to take lessons.

While we’re in the water Congress might take note that this is the 50th anniversary of the Beach Boys described by many as “America’s Band.” Lawmakers could follow up with a tax on those who don’t surf. I don’t surf but I am told by friends that do that it creates the ultimate feeling of exhilaration and freedom. This may be a good thing because the feeling of freedom is in short supply as a result of the ObamaCare tax ruling by the Supreme Court.

So surf’s up everyone! Let’s hang ten. Because if we don’t we’ll be assessed a new tax.

Jon Coupal is president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association — California’s largest grass-roots taxpayer organization dedicated to the protection of Proposition 13 and the advancement of taxpayers’ rights.