#NotATax ?

The Supreme Court’s ruling clears one thing up … The White House has regularly misled Americans by denying that ObamaCare is a tax:

President Obama: “It’s Absolutely Not A Tax Increase” --

STEPHANOPOULOS:  That may be, but it's still a tax increase.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  No.  That's not true, George.  The — for us to say that you've got to take a responsibility to get health insurance is absolutely not a tax increase.  What it's saying is, is that we're not going to have other people carrying your burdens for you anymore than the fact that right now everybody in America, just about, has to get auto insurance. Nobody considers that a tax increase. People say to themselves that is a fair way to make sure that if you hit my car, that I'm not covering all the costs. (Jacqueline Klingebiel, “Obama: Mandate is Not a Tax,” ABC News, 9/20/09)

Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius: “… It Is Not Per Se A Tax” --

REP. REED: “On the individual mandate penalty, is it a tax?”

SECRTARY SEBELIUS: “I am not a lawyer so I’m not equipped to answer that question.”

REP. REED: “So, in the legal briefs submitted for the Supreme Court case, prepared by your lawyers on your name, it was argued the minimum coverage operation is as a tax law. Do you agree with your attorney’s assertion to the Supreme Court that it is a tax provision?”

SEC. SEBELIUS: “I think it operates the same way a tax would operate but it is not per se a tax.” (Secretary Sebelius Testimony, Committee on Ways and Means Hearing, 2/28/2012)

White House Budget Director Jeff Zients: “It’s Not A Tax” --

REP. SCOTT GARRETT: "So if I am part of a family that does not buy health insurance in violation of the President's health-care program and I got to pay because of that, that is not a tax increase—that is not a tax on me?"

WHITE HOUSE BUDGET DIRECTOR JEFF ZIENTS:"The Affordable Care Act saves money" 

REP. GARRETT: "A moment ago you said there's no tax increase."?"

ZIENTS: "There aren't."

REP. GARRETT: "So that's not a tax?"

ZIENTS: "No." (Editorial, “Obama’s Non-Tax Tax,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/19/12)

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