State Senator Paul Gazelka (R-Brainerd) released the following statement today in light of the United States Supreme Court ruling on the Affordable Care Act.
“I am disappointed in ruling today by the United States Supreme Court. For the first time in our nation’s history, the Supreme Court has given Congress the power to levy a tax on a human being simply for being alive."
"Previously, it was an action that generated a response. A person purchasing a specific good or service was penalized in the form of a tax. The affirmation of this mandate penalizes any breathing U.S. citizen for choosing not to buy something."
"What the Court has said is that we no longer have the freedom to choose not to buy health insurance."
"This finding by the United States Supreme Court has upheld the massive overreach which the federal government took in 2009 when Congress passed the Affordable Care Act."
"If the federal government can now dictate what we must buy, they can then also dictate the terms."
"This has always been a political problem and will require a political solution. “
Comments (39)
Add commentGazelka, send this to Todd and Wadena County newspapers.
You're no longer a Senator here.
And remember to vote for Romney, who called the individual mandate, "Personal Responsibility" in 2006 when he did it in MA. Thanks for the model Mitt!
How about
a little respect there, Ms. Ex DFL Chair? You sound like a nasty protester yelling out just his last name. He is Still the State Senator in your district at this time.
Paul,
It's over. Move on.
How about some jobs?
He'll get right on the job
He'll get right on the job creation right after he disenfranchises enough voters and keeps gays in their place.
What a guy!
Wow, Snowda...
...do you really not understand the difference between the respective roles of the Federal government and state governments? That's just sad.
Here's what bothers me
"A person purchasing a specific good or service was penalized in the form of a tax."
This quote by Senator Gazelka from the story above tells the whole story. Taxes, dear senator, are NOT a penalty. With that kind of labelling, no wonder those like Sen. Gazelka see taxes as evil.
Taxes, however, are what we pay to belong to the group we call a democracy. It pays for things as ordinary as fire protection, police protection, roads, bridges, schools .... it also pays for some extraordinary things like space programs and odd research projects like the mating habits of certain animals.
Our representatives are required to monitor those taxes and how they're used -- Sen. Gazelka, whether you represent me again, or whether you move on, get rid off that negative attitude about taxes being a penalty. Taxes are neither good nor bad -- they are a tool of governing. It is how we use them or abuse them that matters.
gazelka
easy for him to ditz the affordable care law, when he gets free state insurance.
Very well said Nachnos...
Paul is entitled to his opinion...
Doesn't make it the law of the land...
Validation of laws passed by the Congress of the United States, signed by the President, and validated by the US Supreme Court do...
Much different than Paul's favorite avenue of legislation in Minnesota through the amendment process...
when I dont need something and dont want to buy it its a penalty
Maybe I do not want health insurance because I am a healthy 35 year old. So now when I do not purchase it, I am "taxed." Sounds like a penalty to me.
If I get sick, I have enough money to pay for it. I have my kids and wife on insurance because kids get sick and my wife and I want another baby (well the I part is because my wife said so)
Your commander in chief said it was a penalty not a tax. So did he lie to every single American?
And since the answer is yes he did, do you respect him for lying to every single American?
The answer should be no, but since its a free service to the free loaders its ok.
Just wait til everyone is taxed more. Its gonig to be great listening to you all whine then. You will get a huge I TOLD YOU SO from me
35 year olds get sick and in car accidents too
You could lose your house if you ended up in the hospital without insurance to pay for a catastrophic health emergency. Medical bankruptcy is a huge issue nowdays.
You are gambling by not having health insurance for yourself to protect your family and your assets.
snow ... right there is the
snow ... right there is the problem. People should have the right to make the "wrong" decisions. You should have no say in who buys what. The problem liberals see in that is people would have to live (or die) with their decisions. Choose to do drugs, you choose to die accordingly. Not my problem, unless I choose through my own means to help when asked.
who pays?
People without insurance, if they get sick or hurt...those of us with insurance end up paying....or the government or the hospital loses money.
Gov. Romney in 2006 when implementing Romneycare called it PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY to buy health insurance. I see it like car insurance.
Sooner or later, you're going to need it. Who pays?????
I'm tired of financing (I have insurance and it's not cheap) slackers who could pay -- but do not. If everyone's 'in' the costs go down for all of us.
Tax for not buying broccoli?
Yes I do see a tax for not buying something as a government overreach. What's next, tax me for not buying a "green" car? A "green" house? If I don't buy broccoli?
This is tyranny and we already fought in a revolution to get away from a king's tyrannical rule.
If you want to live under a king, then I suggest you consider moving to Sweden or Norway, because then the government will keep almost everything you earn and you won't have any choices. I have relatives that live there who told me to stay in America, "you wouldn't like living here (in Norway) because in America you have freedom". Well, that was in 1993, looks like we are getting closer by the day to having a king rule us, unless We the People speak up.
well snow, I have an answer for you
If you drive a car without insurance, its a crime. You get in a car wreck without car insurance, then you are gambling. You should have to pay for all your medical bills for being an ignorant moron.
I have been in 2 accidents, both the other persons fault. Under Minnesota no-fault insurance my insurance pays for my medical, until the criminal "independent medical examiner" says you are fine, then you have to go after the person at faults insurance.
Then if you have insurance, your medical insurance company goes after the person at fault.
Once again, your logic is severely flawed.
As for getting sick at 35, I have enough money to pay for my medical needs and I feel I do not need insurance at this time. But my government says I do, which I disagree with.
You say you are tired of funding slackers...who do you suppose the new tax is going to fund? WOW, liberals really are hypocrites!
Too true, IDWD...
"You say you are tired of funding slackers...who do you suppose the new tax is going to fund? WOW, liberals really are hypocrites!"
But now we not only will be funding their booboos, we'll be funding all the medical care they care to use. When people don't pay for something they don't care how much of it they use. It encourages over-utilization which creates shortages and drives up costs.
Obama-Scare
The Supreme Court ruling on Obama-Scare will go so much farther than health-care coverage, I'm sick just thinking about it. This ruling essentially gives the federal government "CARTE BLANCHE" to force us to purchase or not purchase ANY goods, service, or activity they wish to regulate in the form of a "Tax". We no longer live as citizens in a free society based on the Rule of Law; rather, a Tyrannical Dictatorship run by a maniacal Emperor who decides what rights to bestow upon his SUBJECTS. Many thanks to our all-knowing, benevolent Chief Justice Benedict Roberts. If he wanted to create a legacy for himself, he SURE DID!
I hope to see you ALL on Tuesday, November 6th. Of course, I'm referring to JUDGMENT Day for those that voted for that horrendous, monstrous piece of legislation!
Happy hunting everyone! I'm loaded for Donkeys and RINOs.
Everyone keeps jumping Gazelka and others for jobs.
I don't see 'bama doing much in that direction, except for the illegals, to whom he gave amnesty. His concentration as of late has been illegals, student loans, gay marriage, running other countries, and blowing the budget out of the water!
Mitt Romney 2006 MA
I can see a Democratic ad already with that YouTube clip with Mitt saying he loves the individual mandate. And the GOP called John Kerry a flip flopper. Romney is the King of flips.
Mitt created the MODEL for what we have today, when he was Governor of MA. Gotta love it.
IDWD - what if something catastrophic happened? brain tumor, cancer, etc? You have enough in your piggy bank to fund treatment for that? wow.............
Again, Snowda, do you really not understand the difference...
...between state and federal powers? I'd love it if the Democrats proved their ignorance by advancing the notion that the Federal government has the right to mandate that Americans purchase anything. BTW, the recent Supreme Court ruling stated this very point in a 7-2 vote.
its simple, you dont want insurance, you dont get treated
It used to be a personal choice...now you cant choose because the government says so..
I can tell you this much, there are natural ways of dealing with treatable cancer that is way cheaper, healthier and less painful than radiating yourself or filling yourself up with chemicals.
If it is a non-curable cancer, I know what I would like to do, but the government says I cant do that because the doctors need their money. I would euthanize myself so my family doesnt have to suffer watching me die like I did with my dad. Its tough. And guess what, they treated him with everything to keep him alive. Insurance didnt keep him alive, it just prolonged his and our entire family's suffering.
He wanted to euthanize himself, but then we wouldnt have seen his life insurance because our government says thats illegal and the insurance companies then dont have to pay.
Yup, our government knows whats best for everyone
snow, please comment on your hypocritical freeloader comment
How does that work, you dont want to support freeloaders, yet all you preach is entitlements. Isnt that 100% hypocritical.
Its mostly people who choose not to work and vote left that are the freeloaders you talk about.
I do not know one conservative that goes tot he ER for a common cold or flu or a rash or having problems breathing from smoking cigarettes from the EBT cash.
IDWD - too many generalizations
about who is using the resources. Easy to kick the poor people or 'leftists' as using the system. That is simply not true.
When did I throw in 'entitlements?' Seriously, out of every check I see deductions for Medicare, SS, health insurance, pension, savings.
The number of people on 'welfare' is down (thanks to WJC by the way) but still all the right wingers want to do the blame game. It's "those other people" who are to blame. You are diverting the topic to what happens if you go in to ER after a serious car accident where you're in the hospital for weeks.
You have no insurance. Who pays? The bill could be $ 100,000.
It's a fair question.
ps. I lost my mom to cancer when I was very young. I wonder if the drug companies who are making a mint really are out to cure cancer sometimes. Sorry for your loss.
" what happens if you go in
" what happens if you go in to ER after a serious car accident where you're in the hospital for weeks.
You have no insurance. Who pays? The bill could be $100,000."
That's what liberal will never understand, because they are all about feelings and not wanting to be offended. Maybe you need to be offended once in a while so you will understand.
you get patched up to the point you won't die and are sent a bill on your way out the door. You don't get any more because you chose not to have insurance. (and you don't have to pay a tax on that choice either)
In the current system every test in the book is run just so the doctor won't get sued for malpractice and we will be able to prevent someone from being sad.
yeh sure
If you're in the hospital with hope for recovery but need more treatment, no one is going to get wheeled out while they are still in critical condition.
I am guessing his wife and children would want him to get treated so he could recover and not go home and have to be readmitted.
It's all big talk but when push comes to shove, if there is hope of recovery and life people will take the treatment, no matter what it costs.
That's why we have so much medical bankruptcy now.
I have never gone without insurance. I would not want to risk losing my home to pay the bills. It's irresponsible.
Remember the GOP tea party debate when Ron Paul was asked what should be done with people who refused insurance and they ended up in the hospital in bad shape? He stuttered around the question awhile until a few people in the audience yelled, "LET THEM DIE!" Yeh, you're right, I do not understand the GOP mind set.
Mine is not a GOP mindset.
Mine is not a GOP mindset. I'm smarter than that.
Guess what people die because of choices they make. If I choose not to have insurance and I choose to drive it is then my choice to die if something happens. Real life is hard and people don't want to ever face the consequesnces of their actions.
I have insurance because I choose to not because I have to.
Don't worry snow,
it will soon be revealed in the hidden pages that this is a tax after all and always was and the death panels will be there to make sure those pesky people get to die without treatment and just some painkillers.
Wait, I'm a day late the SC just revealed the tax lie yesterday.
Next Thursday or Friday Obama will announce the new pain medication that his plan has. No pain, no treatment and no refills. The family has a week to ready your plot!
So, Fair...
We expect a lot of Paul Gazelka signs in your real estate treasures...Even though he's heading west? (outside your Minnesota Senate District in 2012 perhaps?)
PdNet is doing the same?
p.s. I already know Paul Gazelka is outside my legal voting district...I have another gem of the Tea Party to zero in on in the Twin Cities...Who voted against the Minnesota Vikings staying in Minnesota...Wanted them to become Los Angeles Vikings...Not a popular item in the Midwest...Wait till Football Season Starts, ah, yes, that's this fall...Shame on me!
Same time as the Elections this year...
First Weekend...White Tail Deer Season...Visit the Lakes Country and enjoy the fall events...Head back to vote in the districts assigned...Next Weekend...to enjoy/lie/growl/howl about the elections of 2012...It's an American and Minnesota Tradition...Skol!
Hey D-B FUBBY
Shouldn't you be searching for bigfoot or the loch ness???
Awww, dithers lost
his dagwood again.
Fair...
The economy is enhanced, by your choice landscape verbs.
Don't overjoy the landscapers..
No good!
Voters...Remember?