Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

(D-RI) Sen. Reed: Forcing People to Buy Health Insurance is Constitutionally Justified ...
CNS News ^ | 11/10/2009 | Edwin Mora

Posted on 11/12/2009 4:59:09 AM PST by markomalley

When asked where specifically the Constitution authorized Congress to mandate that individuals buy health insurance, Sen. Jack Reed (D.-R.I.) said that he “would have to check the specific sections” but said that it was like making people “sign up for the draft.”

“Specifically where in the Constitution does Congress get its authority to mandate that individuals purchase health insurance?” CNSNews.com asked Reed.

“Let me see,” said Reed. “I would have to check the specific sections, so I’ll have to get back to you on the specific section. But it is not unusual that the Congress has required individuals to do things, like sign up for the draft and do many other things too, which I don’t think are explicitly contained [in the Constitution]. It gives Congress a right to raise an army, but it doesn’t say you can take people and draft them. But since that was something necessary for the functioning of the government over the past several years, the practice on the books, it’s been recognized, the authority to do that.”

(Excerpt) Read more at cnsnews.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Government; US: Rhode Island
KEYWORDS: 111th; constitution; democrats; donetreadonme; liberalfascism; obamacare; rapeofliberty; standdown; unconstituional; unconstitutional
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-58 next last
What a group of geniuses we have in the Senate.
1 posted on 11/12/2009 4:59:11 AM PST by markomalley
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Using Reed’s logic, couldn’t they force everyone to buy electric cars?


2 posted on 11/12/2009 5:01:22 AM PST by mombi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

For the Lefties the answer should be easy. The general welfare clause and the commerce clause are the left’s all in one wonder clauses of the Constitution. Next they will use the commerce clause to force every family to buy a GM car.


3 posted on 11/12/2009 5:01:44 AM PST by xkaydet65
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Well then just do that now and skip the bill!


4 posted on 11/12/2009 5:02:23 AM PST by blueyon (It is worth taking a stand even if you are standing alone!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mombi

Yes they can. Just outlaw gasoline and diesel.


5 posted on 11/12/2009 5:03:06 AM PST by Quick Shot
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Sen. Jack Reed (D.-R.I.) said that he “would have to check the specific sections”

Right Sen. Libtard. The healthcare provisions in the US Constitution are next to the sections:
1) Free school lunch, midnight basketball, and cellular phone service.
2) Funding of ACORN.
3) Use of tax dollars for funding overseas abortions.
4) Exclusion of cell phone use while driving (I think Hamilton twittered that to the Constitional convention).


6 posted on 11/12/2009 5:04:56 AM PST by Made In The USA (Communists need not apply.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley
This proves a baccalaureate from West Point, Masters from Harvard, and a JD from Harvard does not necessarily make one smart, but may make one dangerous.

This does makes me wonder. How did Congress manage to mandate participation in Social Security and Medicare?

7 posted on 11/12/2009 5:09:02 AM PST by magellan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Their logic is simple:

“Since we’ve screwed you before, now it’s an accepted practice, and we can screw you whenever we want. And screw your constitution too”.


8 posted on 11/12/2009 5:09:06 AM PST by Frenchtown Dan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: xkaydet65
The general welfare clause and the commerce clause are the left’s all in one wonder clauses of the Constitution

Just remember that the "general welfare" clause is not actually a clause in the constitution confering responsibility or power. It is in the preamble, providing a justification for the powers granted to the federal government by the operative clauses of the constitution.

In other words, it is a goal, a goal that the founders believed could be acheived by granting limited powers to the government.

The commerce clause is an actual operative clause.

9 posted on 11/12/2009 5:10:59 AM PST by CharlesWayneCT
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: magellan
How did Congress manage to mandate participation in Social Security and Medicare?

I do recall reading on FR (I don't have a link) that SS was first designed as insurance to be purchased, but they couldn't get required purchase to pass Constitutional muster, so they made it a tax.

10 posted on 11/12/2009 5:12:27 AM PST by maryz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Frenchtown Dan

““Since we’ve screwed you before, now it’s an accepted practice, and we can screw you whenever we want. And screw your constitution too”.”

Hard to improve this one.


11 posted on 11/12/2009 5:13:26 AM PST by stephenjohnbanker (Support our troops, and vote out the RINO's!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

I’ve always felt the draft was on the hairy edge of government power. But on the other hand, I’ve used the draft as an argument against abortion. If we have the right to force men to spend 2 years of their life in danger of being killed, away from their families, in order to protect human life, why shouldn’t the government have the power to force women to spend 9 months of their life inconvenienced by pregnancy in order to protect human life?

Still, requiring people to pay taxes, or fight in a war, are fundamentally different concepts than forcing someone to buy the product of a private business, a product that has no direct value (insurance does nothing for you, except indirectly providing money to buy health care).


12 posted on 11/12/2009 5:14:01 AM PST by CharlesWayneCT
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley; Liz; AT7Saluki; writer33
"...that was something necessary for the functioning of the government over the past several years, the practice on the books, it’s been recognized, the authority to do that.”

Now Deathcare™ is something to help Big Gubmint function. That should make headlines.

13 posted on 11/12/2009 5:18:56 AM PST by Libloather (Tea totaler, PROUD birther, mobster, pro-lifer, anti-warmer, enemy of the state, extremist....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Yep......and they have their own constitution they go by up on Crapitol Hill.......obviously. :(


14 posted on 11/12/2009 5:24:24 AM PST by Dawgreg (Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley
...said that it was like making people “sign up for the draft.”

Signing up for the draft was free. This "health care" thing would cost thousands upon thousands of dollars.
15 posted on 11/12/2009 5:28:16 AM PST by advance_copy (Stand for life or nothing at all)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mombi

Using Reed’s logic, couldn’t they force everyone to buy electric cars?
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Using his “logic” they could force everyone to buy a Teddy bear or force them to stand on their heads and whistle Dixie. He don’t know logic from loggin’!


16 posted on 11/12/2009 5:28:27 AM PST by RipSawyer (Trying to reason with a leftist is like trying to catch sunshine in a fish net at midnight.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Someone needs to remind him that a war was fought over less than this healcare bill.


17 posted on 11/12/2009 5:36:23 AM PST by Eagle Eye (3%)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Eagle Eye
We need a 20 million man march to DC.

All 20 million should leave a copy of the constitution
on the steps of congress and white house, with demands that they obey it.

If our leaders, our government refuses to live by it, we should express our outrage. They should shudder with fear.

The next Tea party to DC should shake the ground they walk on.

18 posted on 11/12/2009 5:45:57 AM PST by PA-RIVER (Don't blame me. I voted for the American guy.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Congress does in fact have the right ‘To raise and support armies’ and it does not explicitly endorse or bar a draft.

But, try as i might I don’t find that article that allows them to make money from one person and give it to another in order to benefit a third party.


19 posted on 11/12/2009 5:50:02 AM PST by Bob Buchholz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Congress does in fact have the right ‘To raise and support armies’ and it does not explicitly endorse or bar a draft.

But, try as i might I don’t find that article that allows them to make money from one person and give it to another in order to benefit a third party.


20 posted on 11/12/2009 5:50:08 AM PST by Bob Buchholz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-58 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson