COMMENTARY: 16,000 New IRS Agents is Reason Enough to Distrust Obamacare
By Stephen N. Reed
For our Libertarian and Independent friends out there, the news that 16,000 new IRS
agents will be hired to make sure Americans are complying with the new health
care reform bill should be enough to light their fire. Frankly, it should concern
every American, regardless of party.
In a stagnant economy, the only new jobs appear to be within the federal government. And the IRS, America's least liked part of the federal bureaucracy, will soon be growing at an alarming rate, thanks to Obama's narrowly passed, partisan health care bill.
While some may welcome the growth of the federal government, saying that the bureaucrats at least work for us and not insurance companies, on the other hand the government has one thing a problematic insurance industry doesn't have: the force that goes along with government.
Don't think that anyone is really going to be fined or worse if they don't buy health insurance in the Age of Obama? Think again: Obama's whole universal coverage thesis depends on everyone having coverage.
Still think that it's unlikely for any of those new 16,000 IRS agents to actually turn someone in for not having health insurance? Think again: Obama would be happy to make a few examples of Americans on the national TV news one night, just to show everyone who's boss.
Presidents very rarely resort to outright force. They know it's unpopular to do so. But few President's have seemed so cocksure as this one, and it doesn't take long to figure out that he likes a good fight. He liked it on health care reform, and he's now mocking GOP legislators who are trying to figure out a way to repeal his health care bill.
"Go for it," Obama said recently, regarding the Republicans' consideration of pushing for repeal. Is this a junior high school playground?
Obama doesn't evidence much diplomatic finesse, but he sure has a double helping of willfulness.
Stephen N. Reed is a former Deputy Secretary of State and lives in the Eastern Panhandle.