PAs for Health Freedom

Source: The Tax Foundation

See this site for a comparison of Obama and McCain tax platforms. I am amazed at how little people understand about taxes. Here are a few facts to help you discuss the issue with friends. More taxes will be needed for universal health care.

Average Total Tax Burden
1900 5.9%
1920 12.0%
1940 17.9%
1960 27.7%
1980 30.4%
2000 33.6%
2008 30.8%

Note, plotting increase in the Federal deficit with these numbers would clearly reveal how the US Govt, without change, is a company bound to failure.

But, for the median income household earning $43,389 a year, the total tax burden is 48.40% — nearly half. This family would pay at least $21,000 in taxes this year.

2007 Poll on Need for Taxes
41% Keep taxes and services where they are
32% Decrease and lower taxes
8% Increase services and raise taxes
20% Not sure
Note, this was an on-line survey — I wager that of the 1/3 of Americans who do not pay taxes, most do not go on-line. Thus, those who want takes increased (those who want your money) is probably higher.

Finally, American’s spend 6.6 billion hours per year filling out tax forms. Economists call this “tax compliance” and it comes to 20 cents per dollar collected by the tax system.

Source: This article from CTV.ca (a Canadian TV website)

Read how Canadian’s criticize their own system. Not only is the article interesting, but the comments from readers (Canadians) speaks volumes. One could easily imagine these writers as Americans 10 years from now.

June 12th the AAPA sent an urgent note to all AAPA members urging us to tell our Senators to “vote yes on the cloture motion to begin consideration of S. 3101.” The Cloture Motion was rejected (54-30, 7 not voting — go to this govt. site to see more on the bill).

The AAPA and the AMA are political groups with a political slant. But many of their members, ourselves included, feel that those political insights are shortsighted. The AAPA may feel any given certain bill is good for PAs, but what if it is bad for our country/communities in the long run.

Below is the e-mail I received from the AAPA (in case you did not get it):
_________

AAPA Members Urged to Contact Senators Today to Prevent Medicare Payment Cut!

Unless Congress acts within the next 13 legislative days, a 10.6 percent Medicare payment cut will take place on July 1. The Senate will take up a cloture motion to begin floor consideration, as early as June 12, to consider S. 3101, the “Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act.” (Unless the cloture motion is passed, the Senate cannot consider the Medicare bill.) Introduced by Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), S. 3101 would stop the physician payment cut and extend the current 0.5 percent update through the rest of this year and provide an additional 1.1 percent update during 2009. AAPA urges you to contact your Senators today with the message, vote yes on the cloture motion to begin consideration of S. 3101. You may send an e-mail to your Senators’ offices through AAPA’s Legislative Action Center at http://members.aapa.org/vocus/index.htm. Scroll down to “Current Issues” and click on PREVENT MEDICARE PAYMENT CUT to learn more and take action. You may also call your Senators, courtesy of the AMA’s Advocacy Hotline, at 1-800-833-6354. Thank you!