House of Eratosthenes

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D.-Ore.) says that Congress derived the constitutional authority to make Americans purchase health insurance as part of its “very first enumerated power.” He was referring to the language at the beginning of Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, which says: “The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States.”

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

Merkley said: “The very first enumerated power gives the power to provide for the common defense and the general welfare. So it’s right on, right on the front end.”

Before CNSNews.com could ask a follow-up question, Merkley’s press secretary pulled him away, apparently to attend an event.

Since Barack Obama charged into the spotlight with his 2004 keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention, we have received constant instruction from our high cultural arbiters about Obama’s supposed intellectual prowess.

Never mind that when speaking without his teleprompter, Obama typically appears ineloquent and befuddled when forced to think on his feet. Or that despite having taught Constitutional Law, he has confused rudimentary provisions of the Constitution itself.

To his apologists, Obama’s elevated chin and inspirational cadence from behind his teleprompter are conclusive evidence of his brilliance. National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Rocco Landesman even lionized Obama as “the most powerful writer since Julius Caesar.”

But if those sycophants are correct, why does Obama constantly say things that are so facially absurd? Examples are legion, from his misstatement that the world stood “unified” during the Cold War to his suggestion that our economic difficulties somehow derive from structural flaws within the healthcare, education and energy sectors that overactive government must now “fix.”

But his recent habit of analogizing automobile insurance with health insurance may set a new low for someone so supposedly brilliant.

In an interview this week with ABC News’s Jake Tapper, Obama declared that Americans should be forced under penalty of law to purchase health insurance under the House legislation, just as we’re allegedly required to purchase auto insurance already:

“What I think is appropriate is that in the same way that everybody has to get auto insurance, and if you don’t, you’re subject to some penalty, that in this situation, if you have the ability to buy insurance, it’s affordable and you choose not to, forcing you and me and everybody else to subsidize you, you know, there’s a thousand-dollar hidden tax that families all across America are burdened by, because of the fact that people don’t have health insurance, you know, there’s nothing wrong with a penalty… Penalties are appropriate for people who try to free ride the system and force others to pay for their health insurance.”

There are just a few problems with this theory, which should be obvious to anyone who has devoted serious thought to the matter…

RTWT.

There are just a few problems with this theory, which should be obvious to anyone who has devoted serious thought to the matter…

Mm hmm. Like, “You can avoid paying auto insurance by not owning a car. If you live in an area with good public transportation, that’s actually feasible.”

Not a lot of choice on whether or not you own a human body with occasional health issues. Even those with the healthiest lifestyles will eventually grow old and frail.

This simple observation alone tells me all I need to know about the debate over whether or not it is legal, moral, or ethical to force people to buy health insurance. PETA doesn’t really care about animals, The Brady Campaign doesn’t really care about gun crime prevention, and Obama/Reid/Pelosi don’t really care about providing health insurance.

It’s about power over people’s lives. Nothing more.

Preaching to the choir, I know.
- cylarz | 11/19/2009 @ 16:08

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“The Very First Enumerated Power”Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

“The Very First Enumerated Power”
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009