Never in my life have I met anyone who has a strong desire to go to prison. Yet, I assume that maybe someone, somewhere in New York State, would be willing to give it a try. If you are that person, then this may be your lucky year.
If you're looking to go to prison for five years or so, you would no longer have to commit a serious crime such as criminal sale of a firearm to a minor, criminal use of a child in a sexual performance, or aggravated assault upon a person less than 11 years old.
If House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the Democratic leadership get their way, all you will have to do is not pay for health care.
Included in the recent health care overhaul bill recently passed by Congress, House Representative 3962 is a mandate that forces citizens of the U.S. to purchase health insurance in a similar way to how states require drivers to purchase insurance before they are issued a license.
The bipartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that in 2016, when the bill would be in full affect, the minimum cost for the public option's least expensive health care plan would be $5,300 for a single person and $15,000 for family coverage.
Included in the bill are a set of civil and criminal punishments for anyone who does not adhere to the mandate and the government is not just going to send you an angry letter.
According to a letter sent from the Joint Committee on Taxation to Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.): "H.R. 3962 provides that an individual who does not, at any time during the taxable year, maintain acceptable health insurance coverage for himself or herself and each of his or her qualifying children is subject to an additional tax."
The letter continues to say that "If the government determines that the taxpayer's unpaid tax liability results from willful behavior; the following penalties could apply…"
Section 7201 of the bill states that anyone convicted of willfully evading the mandate can be fined up to $250,000 dollars or sentenced to a maximum of five years in prison. A longer sentence than you get for second degree vehicular assault.
Never before in the history of the U.S has the federal government attempted to make a law that forces private citizens to purchase something from the government or a private company.
The inclusion of prison time as a punishment for not meeting the mandate is just one of many bits of gross government expansion included in the massive 2000-plus page bill that Congress is currently debating.
The health care industry accounts for approximately one-sixth of the national economy. Such large restructuring of the economy will not be good for business.
Another mandate is included in the bill that forces businesses to help cover the cost of the health care for its employees.
The added expense on already-hurting companies will most likely force them to shrink their workforces, putting more people out of jobs while the unemployment rate continues to grow even further into the double digits.
Pelosi is there for those newly unemployed Americans, waiting with a cell door wide open.
While universal health care is, in an ideal world, a good idea, the current plan is just not practical.
Looking on the bright side though, prison does come with free room and board, and health care… and the food is probably better than the Shaw dining hall.
Elliot Kartus is a freshmen television, radio and film major. His columns appear occasionally, and he can be reached at eskartus@syr.edu.
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