"Just as auto coverage is now mandatory in nearly all states, Baucus would require that all Americans get health insurance once the system is overhauled. Penalties for failing to do so would start at $750 a year for individuals and $1,500 for families. Households making more than three times the federal poverty level — about $66,000 for a family of four — would face the maximum fines. For families, it would be $3,800, and for individuals, $950."


Oh good, let's charge a fee (nice way of putting it) to everyone who can't afford health insurance in the FIRST PLACE. Let the people who have to chose between eating and utilities pay large fines, or.... Or what? Go to jail? It wouldn't surprise me --not the way this country is headed.

And what is the point of insurance anyway? You pay outrageous premiums, and then have to fork out 5-7 thousand dollars before the insurance kicks in for the year. What is that? Most people's ordinary medical bills don't nearly equal that a year, so essentially we are paying big bucks for something we'll never use.

It's not the middle--middle upper class that is going to be fined and suffer, but poor who can't even afford groceries. Wonderful. Hurray for everyone we elected to do our will. What we want doesn't matter. What we think doesn't matter. And Obama has made it clear he will "change" his direction of thinking like the wind. Before elected he said he would not fine those unable to pay for insurance. He said a lot of things before the election. And a lot of people believed him...obviously. I will admit that I was not one of them. Unfortunately, I think this is only the beginning of the downhill slide for our country. It's scary.