The truth about Obamacare's death panels and the twisted liberal logic behind them was brilliantly exposed by AT's Daren Jonescu, who described the progressive's goal of "a legal monopoly" on health care which can then "deny treatment to some on the grounds that 'we' cannot afford [it]."

The high price of health care for the elderly immediately comes to mind, and continuing in the logic Jonescu presented, we can speculate when -- and which -- other expensive health issues will be addressed by the panels.

Apparently, we won't have to wait long. Immediately after reading Jonescu's piece, I ran across a little AP squib buried in my Friday morning newspaper titled: "Health care overhaul has tobacco penalties." The article's opening sentence:

Millions of smokers could be priced out of health insurance because of tobacco penalties in President Barack Obama's health care law, according to experts who are just now teasing out the potential impact of a little-noted provision in the massive legislation.

(Note the new politically correct, full use of Obama's name and title, the phrase "just now teasing out" and the infamous "little-noted provision," all in one earth-shattering statement that will affect millions.)

According to the article, "Obamacare" (as known "to its detractors"), "allows health insurers to charge smokers buying individual policies up to 50 percent higher premiums starting next January 1." Annual penalties for older smokers could range from $4,250 to $5,100.

And speaking of liberal logic, the AP article, interestingly and probably unintentionally, exposed more of that logic's true nature, by observing that most smokers are "lower-income people, who also are more likely to work in jobs that don't come with health insurance." The AP writer also noted: "Although the law prohibits insurance companies from turning away the sick, the penalties for smokers could have the same effect in many cases, keeping out potentially costly patients."

Besides these "tobacco penalties" representing another nail in the coffin of private health insurers, they're another example of both wealth and health redistribution -- targeting smokers (especially the elderly). And a smoking habit appears to be the first "pre-existing condition" that will in fact be conditioned -- covered, yes, but with very expensive pre-payment strings attached.

What's next? Maybe obesity?

The ugly truth of Obamacare and the twisted ideology that spawned it is being revealed as we continue to learn "what's in it." When you're forced to pull the ticket of Obamacare and take a seat, Big Brother decides not only how much that ticket will cost you, but also when your number is up.