by Jerry Agar

If it is bad for small business, it is bad for America.

A number of associations representing small business in America have profiled a list called "The Top 15 Reasons 'The Affordable Health Care for America Act' (H.R. 3962) Increases Costs, Limits Choices and Kills Competition."  The National Federation of Independent Business is one. 

Some of the low-lights of the bill, according to this list, are:

Employers are required to provide insurance for full and part-time employees.  Yet, "If an employee declines coverage from their employer, and is able to obtain coverage in the exchange, then the employer must pay a payroll tax penalty of up to 8 percent.  If an employer (unknowingly) offers coverage other than the “qualified” plan, they can be assessed a penalty of up to $500,000 a year ($100 per day)."

America will have an unelected "all powerful" insurance commissioner who will "have unbridled authority to institute rules and regulations that greatly affect small employers, including the ability to define the terms: employer, employee, full-time and part-time employee."

As for your personal choices, the small business list reports, "Despite assurances from elected officials and pundits, H.R. 3962 sets forth a new standard for what qualifies as employer-based coverage and requires all employer plans to meet that standard within a five-year period. While you may “keep what you have” now, you probably can’t keep it forever."

As for the penalties listed above, what would the consequence be of not paying them?  Could a person go to jail for not buying insurance for themselves or their employees? 

In a recent press conference, Nancy Pelosi was asked, "Do you think it is fair to send people to jail for not buying health insurance?" She does not actually say yes, but does reply, "Do you think it is fair if somebody says I am just not going to have it?"

What other course does the government take with people who consistently break the law and then refuse to pay the fines? 

We have no idea whether H.R. 3962 has a chance of passing as it is written, but it does outline what the administration wants to do:  take over a huge portion of our economy and our lives, run it with the efficiency they have brought to the stimulus plan, and achieve 3 things.  1. Power.  2. Power.  3. More Power.

A hat-tip to the blogger Mickey Straub who brought this small business list to our attention.