Healthcare reform law: What's the big deal?

This is an opinion item.

Author(s)	William Leach
Source	Los Angeles Times
Date	October 7, 2011
URL	http://articles.latimes.com/2011/oct/07/opinion/la-oe-leach-health-care-indvidual-mandate-20111007
Quote	This is the part of the debate that I find so curious. There is nothing novel or coercive about linking taxes to the purchase of specific types of goods or services. As any taxpayer probably knows, there are many tax provisions that raise or lower your tax bill depending on what you have bought and what you have elected not to buy. "Obamacare" is unusual, perhaps even unique, in that it uses a penalty to encourage a purchase. Usually we use penalties to discourage a purchase and subsidies to encourage a purchase.

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This item argues against the position Act should not have been passed on the topic Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.