Sen Leahy Could Not Explain How Congress Gets Authority to Mandate Healthcare

The arrogance of the Democrats in Congress is personified yesterday by Rep Hoyer (D-MD) and today in this CNS News interview Sen Leahy. Hoyer quoted the 'promote the general welfare' in the Constitution for his authority to mandate healthcare and now we have Leahy saying: “nobody questions” Congress’ authority for such an action.

Hoyer equated mandate and promote as meaning the same thing and Leahy has just told us we have no right to question Congress.

Most people are left speechless when you look at these two men and what they are saying. One simple fact they have forgotten is that they are 'elected' to do the will of the people and work for us. These two and the other 533 members of Congress were elected to do the will of the people who are by a fairly large majority now saying "NO" to mandated healthcare. The arrogance of these progressive Democrats knows no bounds.

No where in the Constitution does it say they have a right to mandate every American citizen sign up for government run healthcare or be fined or better yet jailed for refusing to sign up. Last we checked we were a free people even if the Democrats don't like the fact. Medicare is not mandated so why should we have government run healthcare mandated? We have a right to choose as free and independent Americans.

Leahy equating lowering the speed limit to a mandate in the 70's didn't even get that right. It was the carrot approach not a mandate where states would lose their federal highway funds if they didn't lower the speed limits. Nevada told them to take it and shove it and continued on like nothing had happened. Drove across Nevada in the summer of 1975 and got passed regularly doing 70 mph on the open roads. It was great. Leahy's use of speed limits was faulty rhetoric.

In response to Leahy's "nobody questions Congress" mantra, we would like to state for the record that 'We The People' do question Congress on Obamacare and many other bills they have been passing which flies in the face of OUR Constitution.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Unable to Explain Where Congress Gets Authority for Individual Insurance Mandate
Thursday, October 22, 2009
By Matt Cover

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee (Photo courtesy of Leahy’s Web site) (CNSNews.com) – Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) could not explain what part of the Constitution grants Congress the power to force every American to buy health insurance – as all of the health care overhaul bills currently do.

Leahy, whose committee is responsible for vetting Supreme Court nominees, was asked by CNSNews.com where in the Constitution Congress is specifically granted the authority to require every American purchase health insurance. Leahy answered by saying that “nobody questions” Congress’ authority for such an action.

CNSNews.com: Where, in your opinion, does the Constitution give specific authority for Congress to give an individual mandate for health insurance?

Sen. Leahy: We have plenty of authority. Are you saying there is no authority?

CNSNews.com: I’m asking –

Sen. Leahy: Why would you say there is no authority? I mean, there’s no question there’s authority, nobody questions that.

When CNSNews.com again attempted to ask which provision of the Constitution gives Congress the authority to force Americans to purchase health insurance, Leahy compared the mandate to the government’s ability to set speed limits on interstate highways – before turning and walking away.

(snip)

The individual health insurance mandate contained in all five health overhaul bills currently being considered in Congress would levy a tax on any American adult who does not have one of three government-defined health insurance policies, purchased either through an employer or individually in government-run exchanges.

This is not the first time Congress has tried to force Americans to buy insurance. An individual mandate was a key component of then-President Bill Clinton’s government-led health care overhaul.

Of that Clinton-era mandate, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office said that such a proposal would be “unprecedented,” adding that the government had “never required” Americans to purchase anything. “A mandate requiring all individuals to purchase health insurance would be an unprecedented form of federal action,” CBO found.

CBO also noted that an individual mandate would carry with it something never before done in the history of America: it would impose a legal duty on American citizenship. In other words, all American citizens – and anyone wanting to become one – would be forced by the government to do something, even if they didn’t want to or chose not to.

“The government has never required people to buy any good or service as a condition of lawful residence in the United States," CBO said at the time.

"An individual mandate would have two features that, in combination, would make it unique. First, it would impose a duty on individuals as members of society. Second, it would require people to purchase a specific service that would be heavily regulated by the federal government."

Excerpt: Read Full Article at CNS