The Knee-Jerk Opposition

WaPo reported If George W. Bush proposes something, it must be bad. Such is the knee-jerk state of partisan suspiciousness that when the president actually endorses a tax increase -- a tax increase that would primarily hit the well-off, no less -- Democrats still howl.... Instead of the irrational current system, in which all employer-sponsored health-care costs are deductible, Bush would create a standard deduction that would replace existing deductions for health insurance, both employer-sponsored and privately purchased, and other medical costs. The deduction would be $15,000 for a family policy, leaving 80 percent of those with employer-sponsored coverage unaffected.

The reason the Dems are howling is that the 20% that would have to pay are unionized workers that have forced the auto companies into providing such extremely rich health care programs that they are going bankrupt, unable to make enough selling cars to pay for those health policies. Dems want to soak the rich, but not if the rich vote Democratic.

Yes, the plan should be more progressive, structured with refundable tax credits rather than a deduction, so that all can share equally in the benefit.

Baloney. That would just redistribute wealth, paying people that do not have to pay taxes in the first place.