This is absolutely insane.

The Politico is reporting that Senator John Ensign received a handwritten note from Joint Committee on Taxation Chief Tom Barthold saying that “if there is a willful failure to file, pay, maintain appropriate records and the like…the taxpayer may be charged with a misdemeanor with a penalty of up to $25,000 and not more than one year in jail.”

Umm…hello?!  If you don’t have health insurance, you may be fined and go to jail!

Check out the note after the jump…

Click for full size image.

Click here to download the pdf.