Obama's latest health care plan -- the socialist option

Obama's attempt to reform health care has destroyed his poll numbers, ruined Democrats' chances in the November elections, and energized conservatives everywhere. What's a radical left-wing president to do in this situation? Introduce an even more statist health care plan!

The president released his newest health care initiative yesterday and is now threatening to ram it through Congress using reconciliation. You've probably heard that the bill doesn't contain a public option, which is true. But there's plenty more horrible things in the bill that have been underreported. Here's what you need to know.

-- The excise tax on so-called "Cadillac" (meaning expensive) health care plans is still there. This is based on the left's theory that the government can tax the hell out of everything rich people do and not affect anyone else. But Cadillac plans are also used by many middle-class people who want good coverage. Unions also use these plans. Obama's been going around complaining about how health care in America isn't good. Now he turns around and slaps a huge tax on the best American health care plans. As even the liberal blog FireDogLake reported, "The excise tax in the Senate bill would tax many middle class health care plans, making coverage worse and more expensive."

-- The unconstitutional individual mandate, which would force everyone to buy health insurance, is even worse than before. Under the House and Senate bills, everyone would have to pay a portion of their income as a tax if they choose not to get health insurance. Now, "The President's Proposal raises the percent of income that is an alternative payment amount from 0.5 to 1.0% in 2014, 1.0 to 2.0% in 2015, and 2.0 to 2.5% for 2016 and subsequent years – the same percent of income as in the House bill, which makes the assessment more progressive." By "progressive," Obama means "bigger tax increases."

-- There are now price controls for insurance companies. Obama's plan creates something called the Health Insurance Rate Authority, which is more like a panel of czars. The HIRA can force insurance companies to lower premiums whenever they feel like it. This is why the public option was kept out. It wasn't needed. If the federal government can decide the price of health insurance, there's no need for so-called "competition" from the government. This would amount to the government taking over the entire health insurance industry.

At last, the president's cards are on the table. He has no interest in letting anyone "choose" their health care or providing "competition". This is about the government controlling one-sixth of the United States economy. This is about socialism.