Obamacare is a Tax

If you have been following the US health care reform stuff which seems to get labeled Obamacare, you probably already know that some piece of the legislation says that some people must have health insurance and must pay for it out of their pocket or pay a fine for not doing this. (I confess that I have been ignoring most of this but it now gets my attention.)

The US Supreme Court has found this requirement legal by classifing it as a tax. An article in Natural News explains this decision and goes on to say that this sets the way for all sorts of possible taxes.

Regardless of whether you agree with the fundamentals of Obamacare, the fact that the U.S. Supreme Court has now ruled the federal government has the power to tax Americans into mandatory purchases of private industry products means an end to economic freedom in America. Why? Because it hands the federal government the power to force the American people to buy anything the government wants or face tax penalties for refusing to do so. It is the equivalent of announcing a federal monopoly over all private purchasing decisions.

So, what does this have to do with us Gringos living in Nicaragua? For me, I expect nothing as I have Medicare, coverage that I don't want but I expect will keep me out of being subject to this new tax. But, what about others who are under retirement age who have elected to take up residence in Nicaragua or, well, anywhere else outside the US? Are you going to be subject to this tax? Are their options (such as a local medical plan)?

And, if course, the big issue that Natural News points out is that with this Supreme Court decision, it seems the path is now open for us to be taxed for other things we don't use. Of course, being taxed to pay to maintain the bloated government is nothing new but this is very different. It is money for private industry.