I read this article and I think there are two possibilities and one or both may be true. The first is that the reality of $30B deficits every year is starting to sink in and they are desperate for more tax money. Or two, they are planning something else that people will really dislike (like a free trade agreement with China, or vastly increased immigration, 10 year visas, student visas, TFW's etc. from China) and this is all just a big distraction "Don't look over there, nothing to see! Watch what I'm doing with these doctors right here..."