There may be some voters who are indifferent to the impact ObamaCare will have on the economy or even to the way it seeks to diminish religious freedom. But will they stand for an increase in the price of pizza? The founder and CEO of the Papa John’s pizza chain isn’t making any predictions on the presidential election, but he is promising a price hike on his product if the president’s signature health care legislation isn’t derailed by the November election. As Business Insider reports, John Schnatter said the additional costs ObamaCare will burden his business with will result in his pies costing 11 to 14 cents more per pizza and 15 to 20 cents per order. Because it will cost his company more to operate, the ObamaCare government surcharge will, he promised, be passed on to consumers.
Papa John’s isn’t alone in seeing a price increase in their futures. As the magazine relates, in its most recent earnings call, McDonald’s said the health care plan will cost their stores an extra $10,000 to $30,000. While the vast expansion of government power involved in the bill will result in more federal expenditures, the pizza magnate’s comment highlights the fact that it will create an across-the-board surtax on virtually all expenditures by families and individuals. This will mean an increase in the cost of living that will hit the poor a lot harder than the rich the president claims to want to tax.
As Politico notes, Schnatter is a supporter and fundraiser for Mitt Romney. But what he says is an accurate reflection of the way the health care plan will serve to cripple the ability of businesses — especially small businesses — to keep their costs under control.
While President Obama and his defenders have harped on the benefits of the plan to the minority of Americans who are currently uninsured, they have little to say about the way the bill will hurt the economy as well as making life more difficult for those without the ability to pay more. Those price hikes are a hidden tax increase that is particularly regressive in its impact, with the poor being affected far more than those who are rich. While rich liberals will say they will be glad to pony up an extra dime and change for their pizzas, those living hand to mouth or paycheck to paycheck cannot, especially when those costs are not just for fast food but on virtually everything we purchase or consume.
President Obama is seeking to demagogue Republicans about their sensible refusal to raise taxes on the people who fund investment and savings. But his claim that only the rich will have their taxes raised is given the lie by the fact that so much of the staples of life for the poor will be more expensive if the president has his way.
What's remarkable (and frightening) is that the obvious, isn't – otherwise Obama would be polling about 14%.
I think eventually you're going to see the numbers drop for Obumble, not everyone is paying attention right now.
Who would ever believeBHO and anything he says?! The man lies. If he wins, remember, he said he wanted to keep the Bush tax cuts on middle class until next year. Anyone who believes he won't get rid of Bush tax cuts for everyone then, is stupid. Also, remember, the goodies of Obamacare are occurring now; then the taxes to pay for them come later. This is just one example of his lies; there are zillions too many to keep up with.
Mitt Romney is a failed candidate. I would gladly pay extra spare change for these workers to have access to a doctor. Healthcare for all!
I guess you miss the point of the article, and an understanding of how things work in general. n nThe cost of health care will increase the cost for almost all businesses, therefore, almost all businesses will pass the added expense on to the consumer. That's you. So it's not just a couple cents for pizza, it's added to the price of everything you buy. n nI operate a business. We have had to reduce our employee base by two people as a direct result of the increased cost of health care over the last two years. TWO PEOPLE don't have a job as a direct result of health care. Will you gladly pay their rent AND for their health care? n nThere's no such thing as a free lunch, and the economy is one big checkbook. If the government adds trillion dollars over ten years as an expense, somebody has to pay for it. Guess what: you're paying for it.
folks, and presumably, the people who work at Poppa Johns will now have insurance that covers more than partial-care catastrophic plus health saving accounts. Which some folks might not need and some folks might appreciate. I think we can afford the dime/quarter. This is not financial armageddon.
No it isn't.Unfortunately it's just one of thousands of ways that obamacare will impact us. That can be financial Armageddon for people barely holding on.
A sudden health crisis can be more of a financial Armageddon than the cost of a pizza going up. We need affordable healthcare. Everyone deserves healthcare. I see nothing wrong with the Affordable Health Care Act.
Agreed. The Republicans are friendlier to the free market, but they are not necessarily small government. The Republican party is becoming more like the conservative parties in Europe, i.e. in favor of big government programs that promote traditional values, as opposed to big government programs that promote secularism or egalitarianism.
It is shocking that the CEO of Papa Johns and this magazine commentator would begrduge the near-poor workers of that company health insurance — and better healthcare for a few cents per pie!! Our country is based on the premise that we all pay a little more to help those less fortunate — the key here is "a little more." Does anyone really object to that??
How about last year’s $77,000 deduction for that dancing horse?
It will cost Papa John's an extra 25-30 cents per pizza, what they pass on to consumers will be significantly more than that. Once government gets to administering the debacle that is the PPACA, everything will cost more, health care will be severly impacted in a negative way and there will be no going back to a limited governance model, never.