VA Attorney General: If We Lose, Government 'Will Be Able To Order' People To Buy Anything

CNSNews ^ | December 15, 2010 | Nicholas Ballasy

[jazusamo]

Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, II was elected Attorney General of Virginia on November 3, 2009. (Photo from Cuccinelli’s official Web site)

(CNSNews.com) - Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli told CNSNews.com that the federal government will be able to “order” individuals to purchase any product or service if the individual mandate in health care law is determined to be constitutional by the Supreme Court.

Federal judge Henry Hudson for the Eastern District of Virginia ruled that the individual mandate was unconstitutional on Monday. Cuccinelli predicts that the case will ultimately lie in the hands in the Supreme Court.

“Unfortunately, it could affect an awful lot of different areas because then Congress has an incredibly broad power. They can try to affect and direct the economy just by ordering people to buy particular products,” Cuccinelli told CNSNews.com in Richmond after the ruling in his case was announced.

Video 5:00 minutes

Cuccinelli then provided an example of the power he says the government would have should he lose the case over the individual mandate in the health care law, which requires every individual to purchase health insurance.

“I drive a car, you know, brand X, maybe I don’t like brand X, those are the ones that don’t do as well in the market because they are not as good cars and those are the ones that seem to get subsidized,” he said.

“Well, instead of giving direct subsidizes now or buying the stock of GM, we’ll order Americans to buy product XX which if we lose this case, the federal government will have to power to do that, to positively impact the economy by ordering people to spend and that is an incredible power that the founding fathers would have never have envisioned for the Congress and the President and yet that’s exactly what they’re attempting to exercise in this legislation.”

Although the federal judge denied an injunction, Cuccinelli said he is comfortable with the declaratory judgment issued.

“I’m comfortable with it in the terms the judge stated it. He imposed a declaratory judgment,” he said.

“He acknowledged that the secretary had said you don’t need an injunction here judge because we will obey the outcome of your order, naturally and so the judge took them at their word and so long as they abide by the order, which I have every expectation that they will, it has the same functional outcome. So we’re perfectly comfortable with that; should any problem develop, we know who to go talk to and we’ll be in that judge’s courtroom again.”

[The KG9 Kid]

You make one hell of a compelling point.

No way can the liberals afford to let the government win here.

[jazusamo]

Well put!

[Monkey Face]

Get the rats out of the White House, the House, the Senate and any other place where they have any influence. I’m so sick of the whining liberal tree-huggers it’s not even funny. And I’m sick of paying for their a$$hat ideas.

[jazusamo]

Not a bad idea.

[Free Vulcan]

Imagine the door it will open if they do lose. The govt telling you what to buy. Like ethanol, or solar panels, or tofu. Or you can only buy so much of so and so.

[metmom]

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli told CNSNews.com that the federal government will be able to “order” individuals to purchase any product or service if the individual mandate in health care law is determined to be constitutional by the Supreme Court.

Great point. We need more people like him who see what the real issues are.

This also fits in with the Food Safety act that is going to regulate farming and seeds.

[ichabod1]

Someone asked Nancy Pelosi whether the provision to force Americans to buy something was within Congress’ constitutional power and she replied. . .

“Are you SERIOUS??? Are you SERIOUS?”

[ichabod1]

What this country needs (and is cruising for) is a strong, vigorous, healthy black market.

[MrB]

Followed up by her aid insisting
“that is NOT a serious question”.

They know they can’t answer it,
so they use the “ridicule defense”.

[ichabod1]

The chocolate rations have been increased from 21 grams to 15.

[LearnsFromMistakes]

I disagree with the ‘if we lose’ part - do it now. Start a bill that mandates gun ownership, and try to push it thru. Make the libs argue against it.

[MrB]

It’s cruising for a watering of the tree of liberty, that’s what.

[MrB]

I’d be satisfied with

“held up as an object of ridicule and as an example of how all democrats think”

[mojitojoe]

Politicians buy politicians all the time. They all make me sick.

[Free Vulcan]

Double plus good!

[556x45]

I think they can order until they’re blue in the face but that doesn’t mean obedience will follow. The bottom dwellers in DC have forgotten they govern by the consent of the people. Seems to me the meaning of govern has morphed silently into rule tho. At any rate I’d like to know if we withdraw our consent will they force us at the point of a gun? That was a rhetorical question of course. Would be good to have them plainly state it for once instead of mealy mouth around the bush. Then again thats what the pols do....

[xjcsa]

This man will go places. US Attorney general under the next GOP administration perhaps...

Either that or he'll follow Bob McDonnell as the next Governor of Virginia.

[Gilbo_3]

well in all fairness, here in podunkville, we are already required to buy 'garbage' service, under criminal penalty...

I decided I didnt need the service any longer and found out its like the mob, once ya get in, there aint no gettin out...

deputies showed up and informed me that they had a "summons to garbage court"...theres a slam dunk guilty for non-compliance which is fines+costs+the bill...

rumpke inc must be so glad to have such enforcers for their past due collections dept...

[Gilbo_3]

and today i just heard about 'drop side' cribs...

30 kids have died in 10 yrs...its an epidemic...