From Carrie Budoff Brown at Politico:

Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) received a handwritten note Thursday from Joint Committee on Taxation Chief of Staff Tom Barthold confirming the penalty for failing to pay the up to $1,900 fee for not buying health insurance.

Violators could be charged with a misdemeanor and could face up to a year in jail or a $25,000 penalty, Barthold wrote on JCT letterhead. He signed it “Sincerely, Thomas A. Barthold.”

Yes, you read that right.  If you don’t buy health insurance, you will be forced to pay a $1900 fine to the federal government. If you do not pay that fine, you will face up to a year in jail and $25,000 in fines.

The note from Barthold to Ensign? Right here.

Does anybody really wonder why the senate dems don’t want the current bill read before it comes up for a vote?

The expansion of the American welfare state continues as those who actually produce the wealth are forced, under the threat of incarceration and at the barrel of  a government gun, to pay for it.

Ed Morrissey at hotair.com has more.

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-Cnation