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'Inside Washington' Host: Why is it Constitutional to Force People to Buy Car Insurance
Newsbusters ^ | 12/18/10 | Noel Sheppard

Posted on 12/18/2010 8:03:56 PM PST by Nachum

Gordon Peterson on Friday asked either a staggeringly ignorant or intentionally provocative question.

On the most recent installment of PBS's "Inside Washington," the host queried his guests, "Why is it constitutional to require Americans to buy automobile insurance but un-Constitutional to force them to buy health insurance?" (video follows with transcript and commentary): ---

GORDON PETERSON, HOST: That’s Ken Cuccinelli. He’s the attorney general of Virginia. He brought the challenge to ObamaCare. The federal court and judge Henry Hudson of Virginia ruled it’s un-Constitutional to force Americans to buy health insurance, as the law mandates. Why is it constitutional to require Americans to buy automobile insurance but un-Constitutional to force them to buy health insurance?

(Excerpt) Read more at newsbusters.org ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: constitutional; host; inside; washington
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To: Nachum

Health insurance choices involves personal survival and ObamaCare limits those choices and penalizes anyone
who forgoes it. Car insurance doesn’t work remotely like that.


81 posted on 12/19/2010 1:53:16 AM PST by TheThinker (Communists: taking over the world one kooky doomsday scenario at a time.)
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To: Nachum

If you don’t want a car you are not forced to buy insurance!
If you do you get to choose the insurance at the best price!


82 posted on 12/19/2010 3:02:23 AM PST by timetostand (Ya say ya wanna revolution -- OK!)
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To: Nachum

The 10th amendment says the federal government doesn’t have that power.

The states do have that power.


83 posted on 12/19/2010 3:06:03 AM PST by devere
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To: Nachum
Why is it Constitutional to Force People to Buy Car Insurance But Not Health Insurance?

It is NOT constitutional for the Federal government to force people to buy car insurance and they don't.

It is NOT constitutional for the Federal government to force the people to buy anything, eat anything, wear anything, say anything, worship anything, love anyone, hate anyone, like anyone, or live anywhere.

84 posted on 12/19/2010 3:08:55 AM PST by MosesKnows (Love many, Trust few, and always paddle your own canoe)
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To: Nachum
A case where the word insurance is taken to mean the same in both cases when in one, it is only for damages made to other cars and/or people (the only legal car insurance requirement), and the other is for self purposes. The self part being unconstitutional.
85 posted on 12/19/2010 3:09:47 AM PST by Gaffer
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To: Nachum
1. The Feds don't require you to have auto insurance

2. To avoid paying "manditory insurance" all you have to do is not drive or own a car.

3. People who don't own or drive are not required to carry insurance in order to cover people who do.

86 posted on 12/19/2010 3:25:45 AM PST by McGavin999 ("I was there when we had the numbers, but didn't have the principles"-Jim DeMint)
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To: Nachum
The correct answer is that the purchase of automobile insurance is a STATE requirement, not a federal one.

Local and state governments have the power to do things that are prohibited to the feds.

87 posted on 12/19/2010 3:38:44 AM PST by Wonder Warthog
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To: cripplecreek

My neighbor had a non-working car in her driveway. Since she wasn’t driving it, she didn’t renew the registration. A cop came onto her driveway, observed the out-of-date sticker, and gave her a ticket.


88 posted on 12/19/2010 4:12:30 AM PST by Dizzy Lizzy
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To: Stosh
[If I] have a car that I drive only on my ranch and never on a public road, do I need to buy car insurance for it?

No insurance, tags, safety equipment, pollution-control equipment, etc. required for anything you operate only on your own property.

Operating it on your own property, you assume full liability for any injuries or damage caused by its operation.

How many riding lawn-mowers do you see with license plates?

89 posted on 12/19/2010 4:14:43 AM PST by Quiller (When you're fighting to survive, there is no "try" -- there is only do, or do not.)
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To: Nachum
Nina Totenberg was asked the question, so I have to assume either it was a set up question by Gordon to embarrass her (which I doubt) or Gordon is really that ill informed and ignorant.

He is after all a Washington insider so I have to assume he lives in that DC bubble and really thought it was a liberal gotcha talking point

90 posted on 12/19/2010 4:36:51 AM PST by Popman (Obama. First Marxist to turn a five year Marxist plan into a 4 year administration.)
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To: Nachum

One man’s freedom extends as far as the outer perimeter of the next man’s freedom.


91 posted on 12/19/2010 5:13:13 AM PST by RoadTest (Religion is a substitute for the relationship God wants with you.)
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To: Popman

Additionally, there are a number of “pre-existing conditions “ that actually prevent you from obtaining car insurance— like six DWI’s and a revoked license.


92 posted on 12/19/2010 5:14:12 AM PST by gusopol3
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To: cripplecreek

States can require it ,you can move if you want too,the Federal Govt is different if they mandate it you cant go anywhere.
Something like those powers not specifically enumerated in the Constitution are reserved to the states and to the people. It doesnt say except in Health Care


93 posted on 12/19/2010 5:39:53 AM PST by ballplayer
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To: ElkGroveDan

ok...so we have to have insurance to walk down the street?


94 posted on 12/19/2010 5:49:14 AM PST by MsLady (If you died tonight, where would you go? Salvation, don't leave earth without it!)
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To: MsLady
ok...so we have to have insurance to walk down the street?

No, but government does not have the right to restrict either. Driving is no different than walking down the street. A person needs to go from point A to point B in their life and our Constitution permits us to travel freely without government interference.

95 posted on 12/19/2010 8:59:59 AM PST by ElkGroveDan (He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy!)
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To: RoadTest

I’m guessing the biggest offenders on the auto insurance requirement are some of Baraq’s strongest supporters, inner city and illegals.


96 posted on 12/19/2010 9:05:02 AM PST by nascarnation
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To: freespirited

Ding Ding Ding!

You Win!

Nice answer.


97 posted on 12/19/2010 9:11:15 AM PST by bvw
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To: VanDeKoik

You do indeed have a RIGHT to operate a motor vehicle on public roads.


98 posted on 12/19/2010 9:12:14 AM PST by bvw
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To: Republican Wildcat

It’s a strange ethos that forces a you into the whimsy of what others think must be done to you protect them from you.


99 posted on 12/19/2010 9:15:18 AM PST by bvw
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To: Nachum

Because of the 10th Amendment, it is a State authority, not a federal authority, to require certain automobile insurance coverage under specified circumstances.

The federal government has no Constitutional authority to require any individual to purchase anything.

No matter how true some of the other arguments are, they are irrelevant.


100 posted on 12/19/2010 9:25:54 AM PST by savedbygrace (But God.)
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