Fictional GOP senators talking about Obamacare

Here are some actual Republicans talking about taxing the (roughly) 47 per cent of people who paid no federal income tax this past year:

Jon Kyl: “I would not impose a significant tax on the lower half or certainly not the lower 10 percent, but I think it’s important for all Americans to know that we all have a stake in this and that more than half of the people can’t just expect the so-called wealthy to bear all of the burdens of government.”

Dan Coats: ”I believe that everyone needs to have some skin in the game. I realize that some with low incomes and not much money are not paying much in taxes. Nonetheless, we all have a stake in this country and what needs to be done. I think it’s important that this burden not just fall on 50 percent of the people but falls on all of us in some form.”

You know what’s most interesting about those comments? They’re bizarro-world versions of the standard Republican arguments against Obamacare.

Check this out:

Fictional GOP Senator from AZ: “I would not impose a significant fee on the lower half or certainly not the lower 10 percent, but I think it’s important for all Americans to know that we all have a stake in this and that more than half of the people can’t just expect the so-called wealthy to bear all of the burdens of health care.”

Fictional GOP Senator from IN: ”I believe that everyone needs to have some skin in the game. I realize that some with low incomes and not much money are not paying much in insurance premiums. Nonetheless, we all have a stake in this country and what needs to be done. I think it’s important that this burden not just fall on 50 percent of the people but falls on all of us in some form.”

Impossible to imagine, right? See, when it’s the nebulous “taxes”, it’s apparently okay for Republicans to be dismissive (contemptuous!) of the less-advantaged. When it’s health care, though… Can’t have it. That’d be socialism.