Let me be clear: Obamacare is a Tax.

Last September, Obama was interviewed by George Stephanopoulos about the health care bill. George quizzed Obama about the mandate that individuals must purchase health insurance, positing that the mandate is a tax and as such would violate Obama's pledge not to raise taxes on people earning less than $200,000 per year. They had a brisk debate in which Obama dismissively derided any suggestion that the mandate is a tax.

Fast forward. Approximately 20 states have filed lawsuits challenging the administration's authority to mandate the purchase of health insurance. The Department of Justice has filed its brief in answer to these suits. The DOJ's argument? That the Congress has the authority for the mandate pursuant to its power to levy taxes.

To recap: Obama claimed vigorously that the mandate is not a tax. His DOJ
 now claims vigorously that the mandate is a tax.

I hope George interviews Obama again. I imagine it would go something like this...

George: Well, Mr. President, given what your Department of Justice is doing, is it still wrong to call the mandate a tax?

Obama: George, let me be clear. What most people consider to be a tax isn't really a tax for the purposes of taxation. Now, bear in mind that my administration inherited taxes from the Bush administration. And we're doing everything we can to redefine taxes such that the middle class will not be hit by taxes that the prior administration cut for the wealthy. So, when working families have to pay more, they should bear in mind that simply because the government will punish them for failure to pay, the extra money they must pay is in no way, shape, or form, a tax. What we have to call a tax in a court of law is not a tax in reality. You know, George, it's funny, but lawyers have to say things that normal people can't really understand in order to protect those people from thinking things that they shouldn't be thinking. But all of these attacks from Republicans are nothing more than a distraction from my promise to the American people to restore what the Bush administration took from working families and gave to the wealthy. Did I mention that Bush cut taxes for the wealthy?

George: And now, a word from our sponsor.