By Ron Lee
The Verbal Assassin

A good number of people are hailing The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) as a way to establish universal healthcare in the United States. Hogwash! These same people are holding up the new bill to tax handgun and ammo sales as a way to curb gun violence. Rubbish! The real reason for these "feel-good" laws has nothing to do with government's compassion for its citizens. First, government doesn't feel anything for its citizens. It just is. It does not have feelings. It is not alive. It is, however, comprised of living beings who have separated themselves from the rest of society by passing laws that give them luxury and advantage over the rest. And the one thing those people in government need to do is to find new ways to bring in revenue so their position is never threatened - especially those in high-up positions.

While the rest of us will likely just rely on Social Security, if it still exists, for our retirement, government has it's own plan paid for by us. Look at the myriad of local-level politicians whose retirement programs are bankrupting their communities. Can anyone say Detroit?

Oh, and government's healthcare, that they don't have to rely on Obamacare for, has ALWAYS been paid for by us. They have always gotten the best care, and haven't had to wait in 8+ hour lines at local hospitals that treat their patients more like cattle than living, loving people.

But with more of us falling from the rolls of taxpayers to become tax-takers, government is in a twist to come up with more money to provide for itself. So, here comes Obamacare and gun/ammo sales taxes.

Two of the biggest industries in this country are now about to be taxed - Healthcare and guns! Isn't that a little timely? And where does that money go? Where do any of our taxes go? Add up your taxes! Where is all of it? Even the poor, with their smartphones and ipads, pay taxes. Yes, homeless are high-tech, too. If you have any type of service, television, phone, insurance, electricity, you pay taxes.

In fact if you have a cell phone you pay a 3% federal excise tax every time you pay your bill. If the average plan is (and I'm SERIOUSLY low-balling this) $40, and there are 328 MILLION cell phones (more than people) in use in the US according to the CTIA-The Wireless Association, then we are looking at approximately $394 MILLION in tax generated PER MONTH from this one excise tax. That's $4.7 BILLION dollars per year, just on our cell phones!

Don't get me started about the 18.6 cents we pay to good old Uncle Sam for every gallon of gasoline we buy. How many gallons do you buy in a year? According to the US Bureau of Transit Statistics 251 million of us (cars in use) use 486 gallons each a year. Let's do that math. 251 million times 486 gallons equals 121,986,000,000 gallons/yr at $0.186 equals $22,689,396,000.00 per year. Yep, almost 23 BILLION in tax revenue just from us driving around!

But nonetheless, we need more taxes to fund Big Brother's quest to stay on top and in luxury. So, we are right back to two of the largest industries now being eyed.

If the fallout from Obamacare continues, there won't be many businesses paying for their employees healthcare, so it will fall to the individual to provide his or her own. But with rates being so high, the average citizen can't afford it. That's okay says Uncle Sam, you can just pay a fine - which will be taken from the taxes you usually get back at the end of the year. Now, if just 10 million people pay the 1% income fine and they earn an average of $30,000.00 per year, the government has just collected $3 BILLION in added taxes. What happens to this money? Another vacation? Another round or two of golf with Tiger?

Now what about guns? According to NCIS records, there were 16,808,538 background checks for weapons purchases in 2012. With approximately half of all these gun sales comprised of handgun purchases, there were roughly 8.4 million handguns sold in 2012. With an average sticker price of, let's be conservative here, $400 each gun would net the government $80. That's $672 MILLION on gun sales. But that's nothing compared to the money they'll generate off a 50% ammo tax. Currently, the government collects a meager 11% on ammunition - in 2009 that brought in $172 million in revenue. At 50% it would be about $731 million. Not too shabby!

Let's face it, the government is not out to help us through the taxes, fines, assessments, and fees it places on us. It is simply feeding itself, ensuring the longevity and security, if not luxury, of the people who elevate themselves above the majority.

I know many people believe that everything can change at the next election. I believe government - no matter who is in office - will continue to leech off us until it can suck no more, and then we'll be in serious trouble.

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