Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) has received handwritten confirmation that the penalty for not obeying the insurance mandate under ObamaCare includes time in prison. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Obama’s health care reform provides for putting Americans in jail if they don’t purchase the insurance he wants them to.

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.”

You don’t purchase the insurance your betters in Washington think you require? They’ll fine you an inordinant amount of money or put you in jail for a year. Welcome to the era of hope ‘n change, where citizens are imprisoned if they don’t purchase exactly what Obama and his Congressional liberal allies want them to.

But hey, at least you’ll get free health care while you sit in jail! Right? Right? Right.