I've read it. I've reread it. I've asked coworkers to read it. It's not in there. Don't believe me? Read it (here) for yourself! While you're there, pay particular attention to the 10th Amendment, part of the Bill of Rights, that reads in toto, "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." I admit our forefathers spoke a little differently than we do today, so I'll translate for those who do not know what this means...
Any power not expressly granted to the Federal government is reserved for the States or the People.
In other words, if the Constitution does not specifically state that the House or the Senate can do something... they CAN NOT DO IT!
The argument I hear for this is that the health care bill will "promote for the general Welfare". Interesting, but I have a couple of problems with this line of thinking. First, that blurb is not from Section 8 which outlines the Powers of Congress, it's from the Preamble to the Constitution. The Preamble actually starts with "We the People of the United States", not We the Congress, so I feel that We the People should have some say in how we want to promote the general welfare. Granted we had some say when we elected our Legislative and Executive branches, but isn't something going terribly awry when every poll I can recall seeing shows the majority of the American people in opposition to health care reform, yet the Liberals continue to push it on us?
Speaking of general welfare, that leads me to my second issue... I can't understand how anyone can claim promotion of the general welfare as a reason for action when the word "Welfare" is not used in the same context as those who used it in the constitution. Today welfare, in all honesty, normally refers to the efforts of organizations (government or otherwise) to benefit the poor. Welfare in the Constitution means prosperity and well-being. Before you go shouting, "But Jumbo, you just said well-being!" I would caution you to understand the full meaning of well-being, which is:
The state of being happy, healthy or prosperous.
Passing the health care reform bill would reduce my happiness and my prosperity, so in effect you have reduced my general Welfare. In all honesty, it will also not improve my health as I have worked hard to ensure that I will have coverage for the entirety of my life. But in a country where the press shovels fear on the public, and emergency rooms are packed beyond capacity even when some don't have insurance, how is the health care system going to provide for everyone and their brother when there is nothing to deter unnecessary visits? My brother works in the health care system and has told me stories about the nonsensical reasons folks have come into his ER. I suspect the answer will be less availability and degraded health care. Wow, a trifecta! A reduction in happiness, healthiness and prosperity... no general welfare for me.
I mean if you want play semantics with "promote the general Welfare" then how about this little play on words... from Article I, Section 9:
Everyone knows what that means, right? It means no bill may be passed into law that has a negative effect on an individual or a group. No general welfare for me = bill of attainder. When one group is forced to fund a law that protects and benefits a completely different group... well that's not fair. And that's what our Liberal politicians want, right? Complete fairness across the board. If you want to know what the key Liberals on The Hill really want, you should become intimately familiar with communist ideals. How about if we create a tax to standardize all households? We could ensure that every person has an equal number of square feet available to them. And we could create a tax to make sure everyone has a car. Oh! And when we get all that done we can just throw everyone's paychecks into a pot and everyone gets an equal amount back out... whether you work or not. Karl Marx would be proud.
By the way, did you all catch what I said up there? I have worked hard for what I have. I have worked hard, and I have sacrificed. Don't I feel dumb... If I had just waited I could have gotten the same coverage on someone else's dime. It sounds ridiculous but that's the mind set (and retirement plan) for a lot of Americans. People have to be accountable for their choices and actions. If you want to sit on your ass and do nothing, be prepared to sit on your ass and have nothing... that includes health care.
I mean if you want play semantics with "promote the general Welfare" then how about this little play on words... from Article I, Section 9:
No Bill of Attainder shall be passed.
Everyone knows what that means, right? It means no bill may be passed into law that has a negative effect on an individual or a group. No general welfare for me = bill of attainder. When one group is forced to fund a law that protects and benefits a completely different group... well that's not fair. And that's what our Liberal politicians want, right? Complete fairness across the board. If you want to know what the key Liberals on The Hill really want, you should become intimately familiar with communist ideals. How about if we create a tax to standardize all households? We could ensure that every person has an equal number of square feet available to them. And we could create a tax to make sure everyone has a car. Oh! And when we get all that done we can just throw everyone's paychecks into a pot and everyone gets an equal amount back out... whether you work or not. Karl Marx would be proud.
By the way, did you all catch what I said up there? I have worked hard for what I have. I have worked hard, and I have sacrificed. Don't I feel dumb... If I had just waited I could have gotten the same coverage on someone else's dime. It sounds ridiculous but that's the mind set (and retirement plan) for a lot of Americans. People have to be accountable for their choices and actions. If you want to sit on your ass and do nothing, be prepared to sit on your ass and have nothing... that includes health care.
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. -Thomas Jefferson
I couldn't say it better myself, Michael thank you. I watched the "Health Care Summit" I felt that obama was rude unfeeling and generally mad and bored most of the time. We cancelled our AARP because they think this is great I sent a letter telling them they don't need my money when DEM. Reed and Pelosi and the "Onitted one is giving them plenty if this passes.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your great voice
Hey, [Jumbo],
ReplyDeleteWe really are poles apart on health care. I think it is supremely ironic that John McCain rails so violently against single-payer, government-run health care when he has been covered by just that kind of plan since the day he was born and will be until the day he dies. Then his government-run insurance will take care of his family for the rest of their lives. Meanwhile, he tacitly approves of 44,000 American citizens dying every year for lack of health insurance (and, yes, many of them are working multiple jobs), and 31 MILLION Ameicans cannot get even basic health care for themselves and their children unless they go to an emergency room for the MOST expensive type of care!. How can anyone look those citizens in the eye and say,"Sorry, but in the richest country in the history of the world, we can't afford to let you or your children live." I'm just sayin'.
I agree with you that exchanges should be kept civil and IDEAS discussed. Unfortnately, I see none of that in DC. Republicans have added hundreds and hundreds of amendments to legislation, only to then vote no against their own amendments. To me, that feels a lot like good, old-fashioned obstructionism. But, hey, that's just one man's opinion; I could be wrong.
First let me say, thanks for replying. You're right, you could be wrong, but then again so could I. I truly don't believe either of us has it 100% correct, but we both have a right to our opinion and a right to speak it. That's why this blog is here. I may not agree with you, but I will never not listen to you either. Especially you. So thank you for writing.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Republicans obstructing, I can't argue that point. But I feel I can defend it. I would try anything in my power to stop legislation I disagreed with, just as the Democrats would try anything to pass it (including exploring some, shall we say, shady voting procedures). Personally, I think it's better that the Conservatives did what they did, as compared to the Liberals pushing through a Bill (and then signing it into law) that they knew needed corrections that they are now making. I can't seem to grasp the concept of signing a bill into law before it's corrected. The urgency of the whole thing scares me silly. It really gives me that feeling like they just needed to get it signed before we caught on to what was really happening.
And yes, we are the richest country in the history of the world, but that is attributable to the top 3% of earners. Take them out of the picture and we're a third world nation. I'm assuming of course you're talking about the value of nation's assets, and not the government's balance in the treasury (or my balance in the bank :-P).
Finally, I think your are 100% wrong about one thing you said... we are NOT poles apart on health care. I just vehemently disagree with the current plan. It will not "work" as advertised, and I really believe it will result in a impotent and corrupt health care system in which people will still die unnecessarily. I fully support health care reform, but NOT if it continues to feed the money machines that have gotten us where we are. As long as our health care system is publicly traded on the stock market and is measured by a hospital's bottom line we will not improve what we have. And I do NOT approve of the methods the key Democrats have used. Whether you want to face it or not, there has been some seriously underhanded and shameful activity, and sadly a lot of it comes from the top... the tippy top.
Simply put, if I told you my vision of health care you would 1) not believe what you had heard came out of my mouth, and 2) quite possibly soil your pants...
Being the staunch conservative I am, my thoughts on this are actually quite different than you would expect. I do not agree with the Republicans on this either, although you clearly assumed I do. I intend to publish my ideas in the near future, but I still have a couple wrinkles to work out. Unlike some, I choose not to put my name on something knowing there are problems.
Thanks again for writing, and I hope to see more from you!! Someone needs to keep me on my toes :-)