Posted on 10/21/2009 7:56:56 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
Hoyer Says Constitution’s ‘General Welfare’ Clause Empowers Congress to Order Americans to Buy Health Insurance Wednesday, October 21, 2009 By Matt Cover
(CNSNews.com) – House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said that the individual health insurance mandates included in every health reform bill, which require Americans to have insurance, were “like paying taxes.” He added that Congress has “broad authority” to force Americans to purchase other things as well, so long as it was trying to promote “the general welfare.”
The Congressional Budget Office, however, has stated in the past that a mandate forcing Americans to buy health insurance would be an “unprecedented form of federal action,” and that the “government has never required people to buy any good or service as a condition of lawful residence in the United States.”
Hoyer, speaking to reporters at his weekly press briefing on Tuesday, was asked by CNSNews.com where in the Constitution was Congress granted the power to mandate that a person must by a health insurance policy. Hoyer said that, in providing for the general welfare, Congress had “broad authority.”
(Excerpt) Read more at cnsnews.com ...
Bill of Attainder - ask the Brits how it worked out for them in the mid-1770s.
This is not some abstract concept, our founders were clear that ‘promoting the general welfare’ was not a blank check of government power.
I have no doubt that Sotomayor will. But then so would have Souter. The battle needs to be fought and won before one of the more rational justices needs to be replaced. So long as Obama is replacing the Ginsburgs and the Souters and the Sevens' of the court then it liberal for liberal. If he has a chance to replace an Alito or a Scalia or a Thomas then we're sunk.
"Socialism is just the last "feel good” step on the path to Communism and its slavery." - Vladimir Lenin
“Medicine (health care control) is the keystone of the arch of socialism.” - Vladimir Lenin
I think it would promote the general welfare if he were a street cleaner rather than a legislator.
Well, I have to agree with him, they are forcing me to buy lots of ammo (at least that's what I've told my wife)
Maybe they will try to expand the court soon. You never know.
For me, “. . . the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed” makes for a better “General Welfare” imperative.
That would mean that the gu-ment is supposed to give everyone a free Glock.
Hubba Hubba!
The Supreme Court has also ruled that people can be forced to pay into Social Security. But I’m not sure that the government can force people to buy insurance from a private company. Which, I suppose, is one reason why the Democrats are so big on a public option.
The Declaration of Independence gives the people broad authority to throw off a rouge government.
Think real hard about that one Steny.
That is a crock of chit. They did not have such a thing as health care when the constitution was written.
“He added that Congress has “broad authority” to force Americans to purchase other things as well, so long as it was trying to promote “the general welfare.”
O.K. Congress KNOWS national security is an important issue. So Hoyer should support requiring American citizens to purcahse military style rifles so they can help with our national defense.
Hmmm. *leafing* No, I think that falls under "insuring domestic Tranquility."
Oh, and by the way Steny, shall we talk about the general Welfare of the unborn?
In fact I don’t think the Preamble is, any way legally binding. Its just a mission statement.
Our government is getting loonier and loonier.
Sounds like Steny needs to stop by Borders and pick up a copy of “The US Constitution for Dummies”...
“Promote” and “Enforce” means two VERY DIFFERENT THINGS!
Is it the government’s job to “Enforce” the law? or “Promote” it?
By passing laws which deny freedoms, they violate the very thing that they swore to protect.
Citizens are not obligated to obey unconstitutional law.
Citizens ARE obligated by the constitution to rise up and abolish by any means necessary any government which threatens the constitution.
This is a clear constitutional violation and usurp of unprecedented power and government control, the very thing the founding fathers wrote into the constitution to avoid!
General Welfare = Mandatory Healthcare?
Uh... No.
Thanks for playing, though.
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