THUNE: Another broccoli mandate?

The Washington Times ^ | August 5, 2011 | Senator John Thune

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

When Congress was debating the Obamacare law last year, I raised many concerns about the size and scope of the law and the outrageous amount of new federal taxes and spending it created. Like many people, I also have grown concerned about the law’s impact on Americans’ personal freedoms. My concern stems not only from its controversial mandate that every American buy health insurance, but also from other federal mandates that could follow.

In challenging Obamacare’s individual mandate, the law’s critics have pointed out that if Congress can force Americans to buy health insurance, federal power would be nearly unlimited. Congress could pass a law requiring you to eat broccoli, for instance. Until recently, Democrats have derided this argument; the market for health care is unique, they have said, and so-called broccoli mandates would be so frivolous that Congress would never enact them.

Yet just last month, President Obama’s former budget director, Peter Orszag, changed course, suggesting that Congress should impose another mandate on the American people. Writing about the CLASS Act - a long-term care program created in Obamacare - Mr. Orszag admitted that the program suffers from a “serious risk” that only sick people will participate, making it unsustainable. He said the solution to this problem “may be to make the purchase of such insurance mandatory.”

Think about that for a minute. Before the health insurance mandate came along, a federal requirement for people to buy a particular product - insurance or anything else - was unprecedented in our nation’s history. Yet a little more than one year later, there already is a call for the federal government to impose another mandate on the American people. The first step in this direction was bad enough. A second step clearly would take us down a dangerous path...

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Nanny State PING!

[perfect_rovian_storm]

Until John Thune explains in plain English just why he saw fit to vote for cloture on the ‘food safety bill’ to get it over the 60 vote hurdle and then voted against the bill itself, I’m not interested in a single thing he has to say. He is not to be trusted.

[Sacajaweau]

Peas....eat your peas....don’t put your thermostat up to 72, no edison light bulbs....take your medicine...you will just go to sleep.

[Tzimisce]

Obamacare: we did try to warn you.

[Mrs. Don-o]

‘

[Elendur]

he also voted to increase the National Debt by 9 trillion, and give Obama another 2.4 trillion to spend until 2013.

i don’t trust anyone who voted yes on that.

[Varsity Flight]

“Yet just last month, President Obama’s former budget director, Peter Orszag, changed course, suggesting that Congress should impose another mandate on the American people. Writing about the CLASS Act - a long-term care program created in Obamacare - Mr. Orszag admitted that the program suffers from a serious risk that only sick people will participate, making it unsustainable. He said the solution to this problem may be to make the purchase of such insurance mandatory. “

This IS the type of paradigm set in this Vampire-Care.

EVERYTHING effects “Health” , so they can fascism EVERYTHING.

The fascist are lining up,
And they are lining up with their arguments.

[StormEye]

"Until John Thune explains in plain English just why he saw fit to vote for cloture on the ‘food safety bill’ to get it over the 60 vote hurdle and then voted against the bill itself, I’m not interested in a single thing he has to say. He is not to be trusted."

I agree with you. I've had it with the duplicitous behavior of supposedly "conservative" Republicans in Congress. Frankly, I think they're bought off. It's now no wonder why so many leave Congress as millionaires while only earning what, 150 - 160 thousand per year.

[marsh2]

CA Health in All Policies Task Force http://www.sgc.ca.gov/hiap/
Health in All Policies HiAP Task Force Report to the Strategic Growth Council;  http://www.sgc.ca.gov/hiap/docs/publications/HiAP_Task_Force_Report.pdf Recommended Priorities http://www.sgc.ca.gov/meetings/20110601/june2011-hiappriorities.doc

[lentulusgracchus]

I've had it with the duplicitous behavior of supposedly "conservative" Republicans in Congress. Frankly, I think they're bought off.

I've posted elsewhere that I think someone is whispering in Thune's ear about how nearly-ready he is for higher office ..... if only he would "moderate" his positions and move to the "center" (RiNOland). His ACU scores have been dropping, just like McCain's and Hatch's did in the 90's when they were starting to position themselves for presidential runs.

[hinckley buzzard]

I was proud to contribute to Thune's campaign when he up-ended D'Asshole, but he has done nothing to excite me since. I still get letters asking for money though. He's real conscientious about that.

If what you say is true, he will become another Pawlenty-like dead letter.

[lentulusgracchus]

I was proud to contribute to Thune's campaign when he up-ended D'Asshole....

Which was a very great thing indeed, considering that the two godfathers who gave us Obozo were Tommy Dasschole and Vernon Jordan.

It would appear the Dims are working on Thune furiously .... to shorten the public distance between his performance and Dasschole's. (Alternative scenario: The RiNOate is prepping Thune as an Alternative VP Chumburger to support a RiNO presidential bid -- think Mittens or T-Paw, or whoever it was that NRO was pushing the other day -- see? I've forgotten aleady, he must have been amazing </sarc>.)

If Thune is not careful, he could set the stage for a Dasschole comeback. You know better than I, that little Tommy's eyes glow in the dark with his power need -- think Bram Stoker's Dracula.