If President Obama is re-elected, the Senate already has a bill in waiting entitled the Consumer Ready Environmental Energy Plan (note the acronym).

One major aspect of the plan is to require all citizens to reduce their carbon footprint by 2015.

Beginning in 2015, if a citizen cannot provide proof that they have purchased a solar panel, windmill, or electric vehicle since 2011, they will be penalized $1,000 every year until such proof is provided.

As in the Affordable Healthcare Act, the penalty will be collected by the IRS.

It is expected that the same logic applied by the Supreme Court (basically that if funds are collected by the IRS, then those funds are a tax regardless of the verbiage used in the bill) will ensure that this law will survive challenge.

I have also heard (though not confirmed) that in support of Mrs. Obama’s healthy diet initiatives, the Senate is considering a Minimum Udder Terminal Tax (MUTT) that will require each family with children under the age of 16 to provide proof of purchasing 16 ounces of milk per day, per child annually (rounded down to 45 gallons).

The proof will be provided to, you guessed it, the IRS. A “penalty” will be assessed if such proof is not provided at the rate of $10 for every gallon short of the prescribed amount.

No wonder the President has not shared his plan to close the budget gap!

Alan Felts

Peachtree City, Ga.