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Hoyer Says Constitution’s ‘General Welfare’ Clause Empowers Congress to Order Americans to....
CNSnews ^

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 ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Extended News; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; US: Maryland
KEYWORDS: 111th; 2takelibertyaway; 4thecommongood; agenda; bhohealthcare; communism; congress; corruption; cwii; cwiiping; democratcongress; democratcorruption; democrats; donttreadonme; healthcare; healthinsurance; hoyer; liberalfascism; lping; marxism; obama; obamacare; revwarii; socialism; socializedmedicine; stenyhoyer; tyranny
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To: Sub-Driver

Agreed - Health care was not delegated to the US government in the Constitution. This is a state issue.


81 posted on 10/21/2009 9:01:14 AM PDT by texgal (end no-fault divorce laws return DUE PROCESS & EQUAL PROTECTION to ALL citizens))
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To: cvq3842; Sub-Driver
Hoyer is an idiot.

A dangerous idiot.

82 posted on 10/21/2009 9:02:33 AM PDT by rabscuttle385 (http://restoretheconstitution.ning.com/)
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To: Sub-Driver; Eaker; AK2KX; Ancesthntr; An Old Man; ApesForEvolution; aragorn; archy; ArmedSkeptic; ..
CW2 Ping

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.”

Where is this said in the Constitution?

When did we vote to turn the USA into the USSA?

This will end badly.

83 posted on 10/21/2009 9:06:43 AM PDT by Travis McGee (---www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com---)
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To: Buckeye McFrog
Wait until the Feds are directly running the National Socialist Health Care Plan.

We ain't seen NOTHING yet.

84 posted on 10/21/2009 9:08:13 AM PDT by Travis McGee (---www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com---)
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To: Sub-Driver
Hoyer said that, in providing for the general welfare, Congress had “broad authority.”

Hoyer doesn't know his own Preamble.

. . .do ordain and establish this Constitution . . .

Gee, no mention of Congress there.

85 posted on 10/21/2009 9:11:48 AM PDT by Hoodat (For the weapons of our warfare are mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.)
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To: April Lexington

“I wonder if we can rely on the General Welfare clause to justify storming the Capitol building...”

Yeah ;-)


86 posted on 10/21/2009 9:12:17 AM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (Pray for, and support our troops(heroes) !! And vote out the RINO's!!)
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To: ml/nj
Madison's logic is, typically, inescapable. The extensive enumerating list that follows the general proposition of Article 1 Section 8 was clearly intended as a means of explaining and qualifying that proposition. It can serve no other purpose in the context provided. Nor is this nearly the only place in the Constitution where Federal powers are so enumerated and delineated.

Steny Hoyer is thus either ignorant of the Constitution's meaning, or a knowing manipulator seeking unwarranted expansion of Federal power consequent to public misunderstanding. I vote for the latter.

87 posted on 10/21/2009 9:12:17 AM PDT by andy58-in-nh (America does not need to be organized: it needs to be liberated.)
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To: Sub-Driver
Hoyer Says Constitution’s ‘General Welfare’ Clause Empowers Congress to Order Americans to Buy Health Insurance

No, hoyer, you idiot, it does not. The preamble is called a preamble for a reason. Why would the framers subsequently lay out all of the restrictions on the fedgov if they were truly interested in an oligarchy - that which they were interested in severing ties with?

I swear, all of these politicians on both sides of the aisle are too smart by half - that's about as nice as I can be about it!

88 posted on 10/21/2009 9:12:31 AM PDT by jurroppi1 (America, do not commit Barry Care-y!)
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To: April Lexington; Joe Brower; Jeff Head
I wonder if we can rely on the General Welfare clause to justify storming the Capitol building...

"Treason doth never prosper. What's the reason? Why if it prosper, none dare call it treason."

~~Sir John Harrington, 1607

There is nothing new under the sun. We are far from the first group of soon-to-be peasants to wonder about their overlords' growth and abuse of power.

89 posted on 10/21/2009 9:12:52 AM PDT by Travis McGee (---www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com---)
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To: EdReform

Thanks for the ping.


90 posted on 10/21/2009 9:13:23 AM PDT by Travis McGee (---www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com---)
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To: Travis McGee

Not looking good atall.


91 posted on 10/21/2009 9:13:59 AM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (Pray for, and support our troops(heroes) !! And vote out the RINO's!!)
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To: Sub-Driver

There are many clarifications that need to be made when Free America forms a new nation and restores the Constitution. The private individual right to bear concealed arms. The removal of any hint of Constitutionality of income taxes, abortion, affirmative action, preferences; removing the right of the government to collect, store, or publish information regarding ethnicity, gender, or race. Abolishing the Supreme Court. Removal of the ‘general welfare’ language, as well as removing the regulation of interstate commerce language. Strengthening of the Congressional Declaration of War requirement. Removal of the 14th Amendment anchor baby provision. Prohibition of federal involvement in social issues, and strict limitation to infrastructure. Prohibitions on federal interference in free markets; prohibition on tax laws to create incentives. Etc.


92 posted on 10/21/2009 9:15:17 AM PDT by gorilla_warrior (Metrosexual hairless RINOs for hopey-changey bipartisan-ness)
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To: Sub-Driver
Oh, if only Mr. Madison and Mr. Jefferson could see how their document would be perfected by thieves and scoundrels.
93 posted on 10/21/2009 9:16:21 AM PDT by Antoninus (Sarah Palin -- I love her because she freaks out all the right people.)
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To: Sub-Driver

94 posted on 10/21/2009 9:17:50 AM PDT by mojitojoe (“Medicine is the keystone of the arch of socialism.” - Vladimir Lenin)
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To: Lurker
"After a long train of usurpations...."

"...such is now the necessity..."

Q:Lets say that tomorrow you woke up with a carcano and a box of magic bullets, then with a single shot took out what many would rate as Americas top 546 problems, what would change?

A: The names on the office doors.

The firing of the janitor has no effect on the decisions made by the board.

95 posted on 10/21/2009 9:18:42 AM PDT by gnarledmaw (Obama: Evincing a Design since 2009)
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To: Travis McGee
This will end badly.

True anough. The only good that my come of this is that we might be able to build something more enduring out the dirty wars and the Irish-like "Troubles" to come. Slavery's masters and cheerleaders have no place in a free society.

96 posted on 10/21/2009 9:20:56 AM PDT by Noumenon (Work that AQT - turn ammunition into skill. No tyrant can maintain a 300 yard perimeter forever.)
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To: Sub-Driver

Did he say this with a straight face?


97 posted on 10/21/2009 9:21:16 AM PDT by SE Mom (Proud mom of an Iraq war combat vet)
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To: GeronL
Maybe they will try to expand the court soon. You never know.

Not yet, but they are about to instal 59 fed appeals judges, which will accomplish the same thing, just don't let the case get to the Supremes, unless they know the outcome.

98 posted on 10/21/2009 9:21:46 AM PDT by itsahoot (Each generation takes to excess, what the previous generation accepted in moderation.)
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To: Sub-Driver

Who didn’t see this coming? These Marxists will use the “General Welfare” clause to justify taking over every aspect of our economy and stripping all our liberties.

The communist takeover of this country is nearly complete.


99 posted on 10/21/2009 9:23:35 AM PDT by Zeddicus
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To: andy58-in-nh
a knowing manipulator seeking unwarranted expansion of Federal power

Hamilton thought about guys like him!

Federalist 28 (excerpt)

If the representatives of the people betray their constituents, there is then no resource left but in the exertion of that original right of self-defense which is paramount to all positive forms of government, and which against the usurpations of the national rulers, may be exerted with infinitely better prospect of success than against those of the rulers of an individual state. In a single state, if the persons intrusted with supreme power become usurpers, the different parcels, subdivisions, or districts of which it consists, having no distinct government in each, can take no regular measures for defense. The citizens must rush tumultuously to arms, without concert, without system, without resource; except in their courage and despair. The usurpers, clothed with the forms of legal authority, can too often crush the opposition in embryo. The smaller the extent of the territory, the more difficult will it be for the people to form a regular or systematic plan of opposition, and the more easy will it be to defeat their early efforts. Intelligence can be more speedily obtained of their preparations and movements, and the military force in the possession of the usurpers can be more rapidly directed against the part where the opposition has begun. In this situation there must be a peculiar coincidence of circumstances to insure success to the popular resistance.

ML/NJ
100 posted on 10/21/2009 9:25:17 AM PDT by ml/nj
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