Would You Buy a Used Car from this Man?

Barack Obama made a media blitz this past weekend, appearing on several television shows to tout his healthcare plan. Among the interesting things that came out of his mouth was the claim that mandatory medical coverage -- part of the legislation being considered in Congress -- does not constitute a "tax." Some of Obama's promises during his presidential campaign were 1) He did not want mandatory coverage as part of a healthcare plan, and 2) He would not raise taxes on the middle class.

Obama made his claims this weekend, even though there is a fine (payable to the government) for not having coverage; the fine would be collected by the Internal Revenue Service, and it is called a tax in both versions of the bills being considered in the House and the Senate. In name and in fact, it is a new tax on all Americans.

From a Yahoo News story: "For us to say that you've got to take a responsibility to get health insurance is absolutely not a tax increase," the president said. "What it's saying is...that we're not going to have other people carrying your burdens for you anymore. Right now everybody in America, just about, has to get auto insurance," Obama added. "Nobody considers that a tax increase." (Note: Unless you don't own a car and don't need the insurance. I guess this Harvard intellectual (as described by Liberals) thinks we'll overlook that point.)

My bigger issue is this -- how can a man retain a shred of credibility when making the easily-disproved and -refuted claims that Obama is making? Compulsory payments to the government, enforced by the IRS, constitute a tax, no matter what you call it. Call it a lie, a misrepresentation, a deception or anything else, and Obama's actions mean one thing. He is intentionally not telling Americans the truth.