[reaganator]

Nothing in the United States Constitution empowers the Federal Government to become as involved in people lives as this bill would enable to happen.

Why does NO ONE say this!

Put the U.S. Constitution away, out of view if it is not going to be used and we will heed our other cherished document, the Declaration of Independence.

It has the perscription for what to do with an over reaching government.

[MrB]

The left has succeeded in dumbing down the populace to the point that such a Constitutional argument might as well be spoken in Martian.

And the left DISDAINS the concept of the Constitution - limiting their ability to meddle in people’s lives.

[r9etb]

Nothing in the United States Constitution empowers the Federal Government to become as involved in people lives as this bill would enable to happen. Why does NO ONE say this! Put the U.S. Constitution away, out of view if it is not going to be used and we will heed our other cherished document, the Declaration of Independence. It has the perscription for what to do with an over reaching government.

You may be missing the point. The Constitution protects nothing. It is a set of rules, the effectiveness of which depends on the willingness of We the People to accept and follow them. But:

"We have no government armed in power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made only for a religious and moral people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other." -- John Adams

What we're seeing is not a failure of government, per se -- that's just the symptom. Rather, it's a failure of morals ... and we're all guilty of it, possibly conservatives most of all. We wave the Constitution around like it's a magic talisman, expecting all in view to abide by it out of sheer awe ... because it's The Constitution, after all.

It's not enough simply to wave the Constitution -- the principles it embodies require defense. And the type of defense required has to do more with morals and responsibility than anything else: we need to convince people that it's better to be moral and responsible for their actions: rights are fine, but responsibility and duty are more important, even though less fun.

But we're lazy, and we have short attention spans, and we're continually being outflanked by a group of folks who have created a wonderful story about how the government can relieve us of our responsibilities. And we don't have a good response to that.

[NJJ]

Obama is asking for a “Simple up or down vote.” What he is trying to do usually requires a constitutional amendment, ratified by 2/3 of the states.