No comparison to the vote today and Clinton scandals. As far as "nothing in the Constitution which authorizes such behavior" I would be one that believes the Constitution does provide for such behaviour. The clause for "promoting the general welfare" does tie into Article 1 Section 8 in the U.S. Constitution laying and collecting of taxes as revenue and what the revenue will be used for.
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Article 1,Section 8. The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;...
I don't believe that the government should be a nanny state but reality says there are those who for whatever reason cannot care for themselves and should have some recourse.
You would be very hard put to justify Medicare picking up the drug bills of elderly Americans as "promoting the general welfare," even if that clause was to be as loosely interpreted as you suggest. Burdening our posterity with today's excessive prescription drug bills is hardly consistent with the Preamble that you quote. Indeed, Medicare itself is a disaster rushing to happen, and very far indeed from the intention of those wise men, who sought to secure the blessings of liberty to their posterity. (For more on Medicare, see Medicare--Panacea or Death Potion?.)
Even aside from the Constitutional question, there is no possible way that this can work in the long run, given the trends in medicine, public avarice and demographics. Congress is engaged in colossal demagoguery over this.
William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site