Here we are, six months later and I still have not received that return phone call.  Oh, I called Rep Akin, Sen. Claire McCaskill, Rep Poe and Sen. Kirk and all of their offices actually called me back within 72 hours.  What did I get from Durbin?  Another stupid form letter dated today, July 26, 2011.

Here is the contents of that letter:

Thank you for contacting me about applying the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) provisions regarding coverage for preexisting health conditions to any private health insurance. I appreciate hearing from you.

The HIPAA provisions currently do not prohibit the exclusion of coverage for preexisting conditions. On January 1, 2014, coverage for preexisting conditions will go into effect for all individuals, as specified under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).

In 2014, when the insurance exchange is up and running, insurance companies will be prevented from discriminating against children and adults with preexisting conditions. There will be tax credits to help people afford the cost of coverage. The tax credit will be provided on a sliding scale, depending on gross income. For example, the credit is available for people who make up to $43,320 and a family of four that makes up to $88,200 in income. Additionally, the Medicaid program will be expanded to provide coverage to anyone below 133 percent of the poverty line. A person making less than $10,830 a year or a family of four making less than $22,080 a year will be eligible for Medicaid.

I believe most Americans share my commitment to these goals of health care reform. Thank you again for contacting me. Please feel free to keep in touch.

Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator

RJD/jn

What I find extremely funny is that his statement about HIPPA is flat out wrong.  HIPPA does prohibit the exclusion of pre-existing conditions as it applies to group health coverage.  Of course I have tried to call his office and correct them on this, but so far I have not been able to reach anyone and they do not allow you to leave a message.

Sen. Durbin, when a constituent asks to speak to a staffer, I expect your staff to respond, and not by a form letter.  What will it take to actually get a call back from your office?

I’m waiting for a reply Mr. Durbin.

Durbin does not want to allow groups like the AARP, PPA, etc. to offer group policies because then the Washington plan would no longer be needed and let’s face it, Durbin has ALWAYS been about implementing a single payer system with Washington in control.

Durbin’s office used to be responsive, but unless you are donating a few hundred grand he and his staff have no time for you.

Its time to send this relic out to pasture once and for all.

Well as it was, I got into a very lively discussion this evening with my better half about who really pays the freight when it comes to personal income taxes.  I tried to reason with her to no avail.  So, after she went to bed, I decided to do a little research on the subject matter.

The IRS is required by law to publish statistics on a whole range of subjects from Corporations and what their wealth is, to individual income tax paid, exemptions taken, etc.  The volume of information is breathtaking; it is this information that I was able to glean some interesting facts from.

Keep in mind that the IRS runs about a year behind on compiling and publishing these statistics, so my figures here are for 2008.

Oh, before I get started – you can find the exact information I am using at the following link:

http://www.irs.gov/taxstats/indtaxstats/article/0,,id=134951,00.html#_pt1

Over the next few weeks I will share a whole host of interesting information, but for starters I am going to just deal with who pays the most in taxes and what percentage that tax is of the whole.

In 2008 the total tax collected from personal income tax returns was 734, 117, 800,000.  That is 734 BILLION people.  Quite a large amount no? Well here is where things get really interesting.

Those making $5,000 or less paid a total tax of 414,000.00  That does not even register as a percentage of the total bill.

Those paying between $5,000 and $10,000 paid even less contributing a total of $182,000.00.

Those paying between $10,000 and $15,000 paid a whopping total of $477,000.00.  Keep in mind that we still are not registering a percentage of the total tax bill above .01%.

Continuing on, those paying between $15,000 and $20,000 paid $11,368,000.00.  Guest what? That still does not equate to .01%.  As a matter of fact it takes the taxes paid by those making from 0.00 all the way through $30,000 just to come up with a whopping percentage of .11%.  So you ask what’s my point? You argue that these are not livable wages? I think my mother would beg to differ with you on that argument.

To continue on, those making $30,000 through $75,000 paid a total of 4.96%.   Isn’t this what Obama called the middle class? Oh wait he was talking about those making up to $200,000 at first right? Ok, let’s continue!

Those individuals making between $75,000 and $100,000 are paying 7.85% of the tax bill.  Ok, let’s summarize things thus far.  All the way from zero to $100,000 are paying a total of 12.93% of the total tax bill as applied to the individual income taxes.  Even if we include the next group of those making between $100,000 and $200,000 we only add another 24.89% to that total, bringing it to 37.82%.  Not even remotely close to half of the tax bill.

If you really want to know who pays the freight, you need to look at the group making more than $200,000, they pay a grand total of over 62% of the total tax bill; and if you go down to the $100,000 mark we move that percentage to almost 90%.

I’ll stop at this point and let this sink in.  The next part will show you how the breakdown occurs on a return by return basis.

Keep Ranting, it drives them Crazy!

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