Senator Jeff Merkley claims that congress’s first enumerated power gives congress the authority to mandate heathcare coverage

  When asked for a specific provision in the constitution that gives the government the power to mandate healthcare coverage Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley said it was in the  “very first enumerated power” of the constitution.

  In other words, he is using the “general welfare” clause to justify the government’s demand that all Americans buy healthcare coverage.

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.

  This is the same argument that Steny Hoyer used and as I have already debunked that myth once by using Madison’s and Hamilton’s own arguments on the “general welfare” clause,  instead of wasting my time repeating myself I will provide you with the link so that you can judge for yourselves the folly of this argument.

  To see why the “general welfare” clause does not give the government the right to mandate to the people that they must buy healthcare coverage please read this article.