It's the end of the world as we know it...

And I feel fine.

Like all of you, I’m sure, my twitter and Facebook streams were filled with DOOMSDAY and the END OF AMERICA!!!!! after the election on Tuesday. But one particular comment struck me, and that’s what I want to address today.

The comment was along these lines:
I just heard from my employer that they have to report on our W-2 how much they are providing in health care coverage. So we’re now having to pay taxes on our health insurance benefit. That means if you received $5000 in health care benefits, and your tax bracket is 20%, then you have to pay taxes on an additional $1000. America Died! (^tm Victoria Jackson)

 (or something to that effect – the man is a friend of my husband, not mine, so I can’t access the actual post).

So here’s the thing. First off, employers are simply required to report what they pay in health insurance-related benefits by 2012. Last year it was optional. This year it's not. They are reporting it to the government but it is not part of your taxable income. Your employer reports lots of things to the government that you aren't taxed on. So no, you aren't paying taxes on your health benefits this year. You’re full of shit. Or ignorant. Or both.

Next, we all pay taxes. Far from being unconstitutional, this is explicitly spelled out in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution y’all claim to love so much.

Section 8 - Powers of Congress

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States (emphasis mine)

And your beloved Roberts Supreme Court declared the Affordable Care Act constitutional. And much as Rand Paul would like to wish otherwise, yes Virginia, a majority of the Supreme Court ruling something constitutional actually does make it constitutional.

Whether we like it or not, health insurance is a benefit of employment for most of us. Most of us like it. Because when we need it? Yeah, we’re really happy it’s a benefit. Paying $20 at the doctor is so much nicer than paying $200. Also, isn’t the Republican motto something like “You don’t get anything for free”? So guess what? Your benefits aren’t free either. They encompass part of your employment package. Just like vacation days and sick days and paid holidays like Christmas (and for the record – I don’t get paid for Yom Kippur, so shut up). When benefits are provided, we pay taxes on them. If I get a bonus cause I’m such an awesome employee? That’s taxable income. If I call out sick and use 8 hours of sick time? Yup. That’s taxable income. When I get a day off on Christmas? Yup, taxable income. If I get paid for my vacation? Nodding. Taxable income. See where I’m going here?

Employer provided health insurance is a benefit, just like vacation days, sick days, holiday days, or a bonus. So if my employer pays $5000 for me to have health insurance? Yes, that could be a taxable benefit. Do I have to like it? Of course not. But those are the facts.

Here are some more facts. We don’t all love where our tax money goes. I didn’t want my taxes to pay for two wars I disagreed with (un-American me!!). I didn’t want to pay for Dick Cheney’s heart transplant, or even to give him his very first heart. I am not the Wizard of Oz. I am not in the business of providing those without a heart, a heart. To be honest, I also hate that my taxes pay for Mitch McConnell’s health insurance or any other rape apologist misogynist idiot who happens to get elected by spouting un-Christian Christian beliefs. And I pay for their health insurance for life. Every single member of Congress. AM I happy about that? Nope. But guess what? My tax dollars pay for all that shit. And more.

So first, before you go spouting off about what you’re being taxed on, learn the facts. Your employer is obligated to report your health insurance benefit. Period. You are not required to pay tax on it.

And even if you were? It’s an employee benefit, just like sick time. So you should pay taxes on it. Get the fuck over it already.

And just because it needs to be said again… here’s what I posted in my Facebook feed yesterday after seeing one too many “We’ll see if the US still survives in 4 more years” comments:

OK, I was gonna hold my tongue after the election, but enough. Really. Corporate profits are hugely up under President Obama. The stock market is at record highs under President Obama. My 401K went from down 50% when Pres Bush was in office to recovering the loss to a gain of 50% under President Obama. All you whiny whiners whining about how bad he is for business and doomsdaying America need to take a dose of shutup.

And one more thing. If anyone has assassination comments here, on twitter, or anywhere, they should keep them to themselves and reevaluate their motives. I'm pretty sure, no I'm positive, that I despised almost every single one of President Bush's policies and thought he was a weasel and a bit of a dick personally, but I never, not once, wished for or advocated for his assassination or his death (by whatever means).

If you don't like the election outcome, guess what. President Obama will be out in 4 years. You get to vote again. Yay for you. Now be quiet.

I'll say it again. Now be quiet.

Why is the presidential race even still remotely close?

How in all good conscience, can anyone vote for Mitt Romney? What's he going to do for us (except get that uppity black man out of office and back in the fields where he belongs)?

If you plan to vote for Romney, here's a few things to think about.

He disdains half the country based on their socioeconomic status and kowtows to the people in his party who want to take away the rights of those less fortunate than himself.

He disdains half the country based upon gender, and would take away our rights over our own bodies, our right to equal pay, our rights not to get beaten in our own homes, and everything else other than our right to get back in our binder and cook his meatloaf on Friday nights.

He blames the unemployment rate on President Obama, when his party is solely responsible. The policies of President Bush and the unwillingness of a House whose leadership met on the night of the inauguration to agree to stonewall everything just to get the black dude out of office.

He blames President Obama for the "5 million more women out of jobs", when the fact is that most of those are public sector job losses presided over by mostly Republican governors at the state level (you know, where Romney wants everything to happen). And that those job losses were lauded and praised by his party. So when he claims that President Obama promised to have the unemployment rate below 5%, well, had those Republican governors not laid off tons and tons of (mostly female) teachers, and underfunded firefighters and law enforcement, and made collective bargaining and unions illegal, unemployment would likely be far less. Oh, and if the President had a Congress who was willing to work with him instead of agreeing to block everything he wants to do? Things might be better.

He flat out lies to the people of this country. Jeep, welfare, taxes,  12 million jobs, Libya, $716 billion. All important things.

He has changed his opinion on every single issue facing Americans with the exception of "Corporations are People."

He refuses to share anything about his taxes. He would reduce his own, all while planning to raise mine.

He wrote off more on his taxes for his horse than the average American household earns in a year.

He buys canned goods and hands them out to people at his fundraisers under the guise of "collecting supplies for victims of Hurricane Sandy."

He refuses to answer questions from reporters. And no, Fox news doesn't count.

He blames our problems on President Obama's "failed policies", but the fact is, the American Jobs Act has been sitting in a committee in the House untouched for 2 years. So these are not President Obama's policies. They are still George Bush's policies.

We publicly decry this type of behavior in foreign leaders. Why is it acceptable here?

How can you in all good conscience vote for this man????

Contrast that with President Obama.

We've had 32 straight months of job growth. The unemployment rate has dropped below 8%, with no help from those Republican governors mentioned above.

Millions more people have health insurance.

Pre-existing conditions are no longer an issue in determining whether you can get health insurance.

College students can stay on their parents' insurance until 26.

He ended one war and put plans in place to end a second.

The repeal of DADT.

A start on the problem of immigration.

Signed new trade treaties.

Saved the American auto industry.

The credit card bill of rights, which protects us from unannounced, arbitrary rate changes.

Tax cuts across the board and for small businesses.

Established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Wall Street Reforms.

Wants to protect my right to autonomy over my body, my right to fair pay, my right to not be beaten or have a rape baby (excuse me... a Gift From God).

Recognizes that family planning is good economic policy.

Recognizes that the Constitution guarantees that we do not have a national religion.

Believes in scientific evidence.

Brought the reputation of the US back to a positive rather than a negative in the world.

He believes in climate change (though admittedly has done little about it).

Increased oil production in the US to its highest levels.

Appointed two women of diverse ethnic backgrounds to the US Supreme Court.

Signed a new START treaty with Russia.

Chose the most bad-ass Secretary of State ever.

Endorsed same-sex marriage. Which really? Is just reiterating his position that we all deserve equality.

Presided over the killing Osama Bin Laden and much of Al Queda's leadership.

Do you know what his main problem was? He refused to toot his own horn (no that's not a euphemism). He treated us like we were adults. Major error there. Because we're nothing but a nation of spoiled brats who want instant gratification and refuse to find out any information on our own. We rely on TV, which no longer investigates, but only replays sound bites. We expect the problems brought on by 30 years of policies to be completely fixed and everything to be hunky-dory in less than 4 years.

Grow the fuck up people. Why is this race even remotely close?

Really, whatever happened to looking at the character of a man? To actions speaking louder than words?

There are so many other things he's done. Too many to even count. Try a couple of websites which list his accomplishments.

http://pleasecutthecrap.typepad.com/main/what-has-obama-done-since-january-20-2009.html

http://whatthefuckhasobamadonesofar.com/