Hawaii senator says he is not aware of any provision in the constitution that gives the government the authority to mandate healthcare coverage
When asked if the constitution gave the right to the government to mandate healthcare coverage Senator Daniel Akaka of Hawaii said that he was not aware of any provision in the constitution that granted the government this right.
You would think that if Akaka did not think healthcare mandates were constitutional he would oppose the measure but you would be wrong. He is still trying to justify his position by claiming that what the congress is trying to do is the right thing to do.
Not in particular with health insurance. It’s not covered in that respect. But in ways to help citizens in our country to live a good life, let me say it that way, is what we’re trying to do, and in this case, we’re trying to help them with their health
I guess, according to Senator Akaka’s bumbling answer, that the senator believes the constitution is secondary to what he believes is the right thing to do. He believes that forcing the American people to buy health insurance is the right thing to do and he doesn’t appear to care that the constitution does not give him the authority to do so. I think that the right thing to do would be to follow the constitution.
NH Tea Party Coalition
The legislation does not mandate health coverage, it taxes those who decline to obtain it. The Constitution gives Congress the power to lay and collect taxes.
The goverment will tell us that we need to have healthcare and if we do not they will impose a “penalty” on us, that penalty being a tax. They can also put people in jail for refusing to buy healthcare. This is not a mandate?
Without Constitutional guidelines we have nothing and the party in power is free to do whatever they deem best at that time. A simple majority can undo 200+ years of work in just one short term.
If this is allowed to happen there is literally nothing that the government won’t have the power to force the American people to do.
Case in point, Obama and Company and their current efforts…
Thanks for the great piece, it’s linked @ the Reaganite Republican…
ObamaCare = Unconstitutional Socialist Brinkmanship
http://reaganiterepublicanresistance.blogspot.com/2009/11/obamacare-unconstitutional-socialist.html
Your Ally,
James
Thank you!
Just wanted to point out the “Alaska Senator says” vs “Senator Daniel Akaka of Hawaii” discrepancy.
Woops, I fixed it