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TAX TIP: IF YOU GET AN ABORTION, MAKE SURE YOU KEEP THE RECEIPTS
I tend to stay out of the abortion debate, both in real life and on the Internets. I have opinions, sure – but I favor reason over emotion whenever possible, and abortion is one of those topics where both sides tend to overdo the emo, as it were.
Anyway, there’s been talk about H.R. 3, the bill John Boehner says is the biggest priority for the GOP, because if there’s one key issue that is central to deciding the fate of America as a country, it’sthe economy unemployment the national debt terrorism Afghanistan Libya Planned Parenthood getting tax money.
And of course there was a lot of outrage over the “forcible rape” language. Which is understandable – there are still people who will argue with a straight face that an 11-year-old rape victim was asking for it, for fuck’s sake. But that’s hardly a new Republican meme (as is the whole general issue of tax money for abortion-related health services). Also, they’ve since supposedly changed the language of the bill (although the online version still says “forcible”).
But there’s a twist this time: Section 303, which makes it illegal for employers and self-insured people from using tax breaks to buy private health insurance that covers abortion.
Which means two things: (1) Republicans (and to be fair, at least ten Democrats) want to tell you what you can and can’t spend yr rebate on, and (2) the IRS will be auditing women for abortion details.
The bill doesn’t actually say that, of course. But you don’t need to the chief of staff of the Joint Tax Committee to tell you that the only way to enforce that provision is to give IRS agents the power to do so. And when you get audited by the IRS for anything, the burden of proof is on the taxpayer.
What fun.
And how ironic, given how the GOP won back the House with the help of Tea Party voters who favor smaller, non-intrusive govt – especially in the form of the jackbooted IRS.
Talk about plot twists. I mean, who would have seen that coming?
Anyway, the bill may never pass, of course. It’s possible it was never really intended to – it may very likely be one of those dream bills that pander to constituents and gives the opposition something to water down and defeat, so that you can always say during the re-election campaign, “See, Congressperson So-And-So vote in favor of taxing yr money away so they can kill yr babies and eat them.” Or whatever.
Still, when it comes to bills like this, intentions count for a lot. And it’s only fair for me to assume that the bill reflects the way Republicans (and ten Democrats) want things to be – which means I get to hold them accountable for it. So whether it actually passes or not is immaterial to me.
Conclusion: if this is the GOP’s (or the Tea Party’s) idea of small, non-intrusive govt, they can keep it. And they can shut up about it, as far as that goes. You don’t get to lecture me on government takeovers when you concoct dingbat bills like this.
And while we’re at it, you also don’t get to lecture me about banning tax money for abortion services whilst advocating spending federal tax money on abstinence-only sex ed.
Get yr story straight,
This is dF
Anyway, there’s been talk about H.R. 3, the bill John Boehner says is the biggest priority for the GOP, because if there’s one key issue that is central to deciding the fate of America as a country, it’s
And of course there was a lot of outrage over the “forcible rape” language. Which is understandable – there are still people who will argue with a straight face that an 11-year-old rape victim was asking for it, for fuck’s sake. But that’s hardly a new Republican meme (as is the whole general issue of tax money for abortion-related health services). Also, they’ve since supposedly changed the language of the bill (although the online version still says “forcible”).
But there’s a twist this time: Section 303, which makes it illegal for employers and self-insured people from using tax breaks to buy private health insurance that covers abortion.
Which means two things: (1) Republicans (and to be fair, at least ten Democrats) want to tell you what you can and can’t spend yr rebate on, and (2) the IRS will be auditing women for abortion details.
The bill doesn’t actually say that, of course. But you don’t need to the chief of staff of the Joint Tax Committee to tell you that the only way to enforce that provision is to give IRS agents the power to do so. And when you get audited by the IRS for anything, the burden of proof is on the taxpayer.
What fun.
And how ironic, given how the GOP won back the House with the help of Tea Party voters who favor smaller, non-intrusive govt – especially in the form of the jackbooted IRS.
Talk about plot twists. I mean, who would have seen that coming?
Anyway, the bill may never pass, of course. It’s possible it was never really intended to – it may very likely be one of those dream bills that pander to constituents and gives the opposition something to water down and defeat, so that you can always say during the re-election campaign, “See, Congressperson So-And-So vote in favor of taxing yr money away so they can kill yr babies and eat them.” Or whatever.
Still, when it comes to bills like this, intentions count for a lot. And it’s only fair for me to assume that the bill reflects the way Republicans (and ten Democrats) want things to be – which means I get to hold them accountable for it. So whether it actually passes or not is immaterial to me.
Conclusion: if this is the GOP’s (or the Tea Party’s) idea of small, non-intrusive govt, they can keep it. And they can shut up about it, as far as that goes. You don’t get to lecture me on government takeovers when you concoct dingbat bills like this.
And while we’re at it, you also don’t get to lecture me about banning tax money for abortion services whilst advocating spending federal tax money on abstinence-only sex ed.
Get yr story straight,
This is dF