Obamacare is precisely what the founders of this nation warned against (e.g. read The Federalist). It is what Tocqueville warned of also; that an un-enlightened electorate would vote themselves a free ride and destroy the whole American experiment. That theme is lost on the technicalities in the Supreme Court this week. Let me explain:
The Court struggles with the narrow issue of compulsory purchase of health insurance. The real question (at least 4 justices know this) is whether the Commerce Clause is in the Constitution to give an intentionally handcuffed federal government a narrow power to regulate but stay out of commerce.
Or, is the Commerce Clause there to allow Congress virtually unlimited power to legislate, fund, regulate, own and/or prohibit anything they choose, collect about half of the U.S. gross domestic product via taxation, spend it (waste it) on "redistribution" of money, hire millions of people, send it ($) abroad in "aid" by the billions, pay themselves and their supporters (foreign and domestic) handsomely, take over gigantic private businesses they know nothing about (healthcare, auto, insurance, banks), but outlaw others they know even less about (oil production, drilling).
New deal legislation and court decisions of the 1930's about the Commerce Clause dramatically changed America. Technically, Congress is not supposed to do 99% of what it does. Economist Walter Williams has written about this extensively. That 99% was left (in the Constitution) to the "states and people", which are, by the way stuck with balanced budgets. Isn’t that a novel concept; not spending more than you have?
A huge all powerful, wealthy, corrupt, unenlightened and wasteful Federal Government was the greatest fear of the founders; that’s why they drafted the Constitution as they did. The Articles of Confederation would have been sufficient otherwise.
Is the entire Obamacare Bill blatantly unconstitutional? I think so. But so was “no child left behind” and so is the Department of Education. It’s politically unrealistic for a minority of the USSC justices to roll back 70 years of folly. But Obamacare pushes the outer limits of that folly; a good opportunity to re-visit the Commerce Clause in General.
The poll is not asking the right question. Yes, I believe that Obamacare is unconstitutional but what I think does not really matter at this point. What matters is what the members of the Supreme Court think. I wish I could predict that. I hope Obamacare is thrown out. The poll should ask what we think SHOULD happen rather than trying to predict what will happen.
Its unamerican, its unconstitutional. Its being compared to car insurance, some states don't require car insurance. We don't need socialized medicine, everyone who needs health care, gets health care. I think americans should learn how to use a gun become comfortable with the freedom to use guns. Marta
Without a doubt its unconstitutional. Its being compared to car insuarance, however, some states don't require car insurance. This is socialization of those under 30. We currently don't deny anyone medical care.
I do not believe it is. With that said, some strange interpretations come from the Supreme Court. To that end we need to have a conservative president come the next election to keep a good balance on the court.
Further, I don't believe it should be a life time appointment the more I become familiar with the aging process.
I totally agree with your post. Of course I wouldn't be "here" if I weren't a conservative.
Well said Starfire. Maybe we are new enough here to try something different besides preaching to the choir.
How can we address the problem of health care? It is costly for those of us that must pay for our own, and it comes with a price for those who receive it through their employment as well.
What do we do about those who do not have the means to obtain health care?
I am sure we can all come up with complaints and laments about waste, immigrants, fraud, etc.; but what are some solutions?
I agree with you all about Obama care what really gripes me is when he was running in the elections to be come President. He named off all the things that where wrong with Medicaid and Medicare but did not go and try to fix those problems he wanted to reinvent medical care for 30,000,000 people out of 386,000,000 people. So to me he was just trying to enact socialized medicine. The Constitution doesn't give the Federal government the power to do what he was trying to do.
I am sure we can all come up with complaints and laments about waste, immigrants, fraud, etc.; but what are some solutions?
I wish I knew some (or even A) good solution to the healthcare problem. I don't like to think of anyone going without healthcare when it's needed and I do mean anyone.......... however, I don't believe it's the government's responsibility (much less their right) to make sure everyone receives whatever they need, including healthcare.
Do you have any solutions in mind?
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A government that endeavors to save man from his own folly succeeds only in creating a nation of fools
- Edmund Burke
I have worked in the Healthcare industry for my whole career (Emergency Room, OB/GYN floor, Cardiology, Family Practice, and Pediatrics). Healthcare used to work very well in the beginning, when the government set up CLINICS specifically for the Medicaid folks, It was by far, much more cost effective then. But when the government decided that the Medicaid recipients were ENTITLED to choose their own private Doctors, AND Specialists... and the costs skyrocketed! The other major downfall to the healthcare system is the growing number of lawsuits. This truly affects the quality of care that we give the patients. The majority of our time is now spent doing paperwork to save the physicians from being sued, which is time that should be spent actually listening & caring for the patients. After working throughout most of the healthcare changes, those are the two largest issues that I believe need to be addressed first.
I fear that the Supreme Court judges will rule in favor of Obamacare. I sincerely pray that that won't be the case but I'm afraid that a large group of people in this country have lost both their moral compass and the intelligence to know that this healthcare plan that was supposed to be "inexpensive" and beneficial to all will turn out to be our worst nightmare. Any one just has to read the high lights to know that Sarah Palin wasn't wrong or exaggerating when she mentioned the death panels. This is a law which will cost us trillions and in return give us poor quality care...if we're lucky enough to get the care we may need.
Because of Liberal, Progressive and Socialist political thought and actions of our now DEAD Tree Media, our Hands Held out Citizens, we that have always produced, can look back on our once Proud Nation, and weep for what we have lost.
No longer do we see the Great Shining City on the Hill, no longer is American Exceptionalism looked at by others thru out the world that want to obtain Liberty and Freedom and Basic Human Rights for themselves and their descendants. No longer do our Highest Leaders in this Nation expound on the Greatness of our Nation, or even work to improve the few things that need work.
“I am saddened beyond belief” I did not think, that when back in my Twenties, and becoming aware of the of the then ongoing push and drive towards World Government, by the Collectivists, Socialists, Nazis, Communists, et al, that I would live to see this Great Nation fall into the grasp of the “Evil” that has so much strengthened it’s grip on the Minds and Hearts of a once Proud and Independent People.
Where has our belief in our Nation’s God(whom the Founders Referenced without hesitation)and in ourselves disappeared to, to be producers and providers for ourselves and our families, and to help the unfortunate to learn how to provide for themselves instead of being Moochers and Looters of others Property.
But now I fear that I indeed will live long enough to see a One World Government envisioned by such Luminaries as, Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Edward Mandel House, Woodrow Wilson, F.D.R, George Soros, and furthermore, it is my opinion that the following Fake Conservatives share a portion of responsibility because of the expansive and fast expanding growth of The Federal Government under their watch, Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight D Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and Both of the Bush boys, at no point in the influence of any of the above Luminaries, has the size, scope or influence of our Federated Government diminished or Individual Liberty increased.
I am indeed aware the under Ronald Reagan, one can say that tax rates went down and incomes went up, and we did indeed prosper more, having admitted that, we need to consider wisely how many new Federal Agencies were created and existing Agencies expanded under his watch. Were they more and bigger or less and smaller?
The lessening of Individual Liberties were the result of them.
Does Government at all levels, Local, State, Federal do more, or less, do they restrict their activities to those things that Governments were formed to do by this Nations Founders, or have they - (politicians of the last 150 years or so) - like Bloated Piggies at the the trough of our property and income, kept eating our Liberty, our Freedom and consequently making us servants of the Looters and Moochers.
It’s past time (if not to late) to put these Consumers of, and Destroyers of, Liberty and Freedom on the Ash Heap of History as all past failures of collectivism have gone, and return to the Principles of Individual Rights.
We need to keep a few examples if their most Aggrieved Actions and Idea,s locked in a Hermetically Sealed Museum, so that on occasion of more of the same in the future, our descendants can pull them out, study our failures and maybe prevent such travesties from their Generations.
We need to-
Restart and Refresh, Preamble to the United States Constitution
Restart and Refresh, The United States Declaration of Independence
"Medicaid recipients were ENTITLED to choose their own private Doctors, AND Specialists... and the costs skyrocketed! The other major downfall to the healthcare system is the growing number of lawsuits"
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EXCELLENT POINTS. I have never been connected with healthcare but I suspected it worked fairly well until the gov't decided to "mess" with it.
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A government that endeavors to save man from his own folly succeeds only in creating a nation of fools
- Edmund Burke
Unconstitutional? or just unconscionable? President Obama’s views for this country are socialist.His weak leadership has put this country on a course that the founding fathers never imagined.This President has proven time and again that he does not have the skills to deal with the problems.On a number of occasions he said; that he has inherited the problem from his predecessors.Every President since George Washington has inherited something from the previous administration, however most chief executives have accepted that carryover is normal, and went to work to do the best they could with the situation.Not President Obama, he is unable to work with either house of governments.Now he alienates the judges of the Supreme Court.Way to go Obama!This country needs a leader that can do something with taxes, the deficit, balancing the budget, securing jobs, financial/physical security, National Security and fixing the promise of Social Security and Medicare.Big jobs all, but that's what he promised to do.Now he says he needs for more years to keep his promise?Yeah right??The conservative battle cry for 2012 must be. OMG!It's time to serve in an eviction notice on 1600 Pennsylvania, avenue.Obama Most Go!
We can't have our heads stuck in the sand for four more years
-- Edited by Senior Crusader on Wednesday 4th of April 2012 03:21:37 PM
Here's my take on what to do! 1. Stop all government assistance to women who have kids just to collect the money our government gives them - about 1,500. per child per month. 2. No one gets a "free ride." If you draw food stamps, money, free insurance, etc. you (a) must pass a drug test every month (Fl has passed a law to do it) & (b) you can only draw free items from the government for 6 months! You can't draw again for 5 years!!!!and then only under extreme conditions. 3. Test every government employee who got their job (probably 90% of them) because of their skin color. Those who can't pass the test get the boot! 4. Make the test for any position in any government job, federal, state, city, county, etc. equally for all - no "extra points" because of your skin color. Hire only the best possible person - regardless of skin color - for the job. 5. Kick all thugs out of school who are not their to learn. Don't continue to make the schools a holding tank for punks until they are old enough to go to prison. 6. Start teaching our kids subjects they can use in life like reading, writing and arithmetic stop all the "lets all just hug each other and get along!" classes. 7. Stop all quota systems in every phase of our life; schools, jobs, free handouts, etc. 8. Arrest gang members and put them in jail for years! Don't let them back on the street within 30 minutes of their arrest. 9. Give police authority to protect us from the thugs. 10. Make all prisoners work every day for their keep. 11. Hire Sheriff Joe Arpaio from Arizona as chief law enforcement officer for the USA! 12. Stop all federal funding to organizations like the ACLU. 13. Stop tenure for teachers. Good ones don't need it and back ones should be fired.
Of course I will hear racist but so be it! Maybe that is what it will take to get America back for Americans both blacks & whites who work for what they have and don't look for a "free ride" because of ancient history! If someone in your past was a slave GET OVER IT! If you were still in Africa you would be a lot better off?
Policeman; I would say racist comment, but someone can read the anger in your words. Don't get me wrong been there many times myself. Your Ideas may be a bit strong for most Americans. As a former military policeman, and worked for the police department here in Colorado. I can appreciate some degree of your sentiments. O for the late forties and fifties, the good old days. Keep your articles coming, we are reading!
Being an ex-policeman, I am sure you know first hand how the radical left has been doing everything possible for years to de-arm our police departments leaving us as fair game for the thugs. Everytime some black gets arrested for any crime against a white person the NAACP, and many black leaders get up in arms and march! If the black ever goes to trial in most cases he/she is let off with a very light sentence. Sorry state of affairs as I see it.
I want true justice for all. Everything equal. That is not being racist to me but being fair.
I was alive in 1964 when integration was really put into effect. From 1964 till 2012 is a total of 48 years and I don't see any real progress from this law other than the "free" help and quota systems that have been applied to schools, jobs, promotions, etc. by our government to move the blacks along. They don't seem to have the desire for the "free" education we offer or just maybe they are lazy and don't want to expend the energy for that education. This doesn't apply to all blacks but it does to a lot of them! How long will the government be expected to give them everything the white kids have to work to obtain?
I sure don't want to go to war with some of the black generals I have met that I know by talking to them have their jobs only because of their skin color!
Again, I point this out because it is true - not because I am racist. I want a level playing field for all! I am sure some will still see that as racist and to those I say ---- -- ---!
Isn't it amazing that the federal government can add thousands of jobs to the work force but the Washington, DC metro cannot find people who can qualify for the 1200 high paying jobs they are offering. Out 1400 applicants last week they accepted only 35. Does this mean the test to be federal employee is easier than that of the metro or is it that the federal government doesn't care as long as you are breathing and love Obama?
I am in complete agreement with everything you said. You have stated exactly what I think and you stated it very well. But, I am saddened to say I think it is much too late to save this country and the conststution of the founding fathers. I can't foretell the future but in my opinion we have seen this country's best days. *I can't believe what has happened in my lifetime to this once proud and prosperous land.
When the few can dictate to the many as is happening now in so many cases, there is no chance to bring it back.
We as a society are here to make America great and show Her for all Her glory. Those that are along for the free ride do not deserve nor get 'entitlements'. The United States is just that, a union of like-minded citizens, working for the betterment of the group.
In your infinite wisdom to find 'solutions', throw off the Socialists/Communists, and encourage, no demand, that all able body citizens contribute their fair share.
“From each according to his ability, to each according to his need”, is the best current example of a failed philosophy.
How about substituting, “ask not what your Country can do for you, but what you can do for your Country”.
I am also reading of the 15% tax that will be placed on the sale of our homes and that money contributed to Obamacare. For us seniors that counted on that money to downsize or move on to something else this is astronomical. How can we allow this to happen. This is truly an attack on the senior people. I am grossly afraid of what will happen to us. Obama does not want "unelected officials" making a decision on his plan that he shoved down our throats but has no problem with "unelected officials" makinga decision on what medical options we seniors have.
How right you are, I grew up and worked in NYC for most of my life. I have seen and felt everything you have written. What I can't understand is how we let this garbage happen. Why are the so quick people so quick to condem a white person accused of a crime without any of the facts for example this TRYon whatever his name is down in Florida. I can't believe the crap going on in the media. What the hell happened to this country
I agree with you all about Obama care what really gripes me is when he was running in the elections to be come President. He named off all the things that where wrong with Medicaid and Medicare but did not go and try to fix those problems he wanted to reinvent medical care for 30,000,000 people out of 386,000,000 people. So to me he was just trying to enact socialized medicine. The Constitution doesn't give the Federal government the power to do what he was trying to do.
