Where Would Government Power Stop?

How unique is health care?

The Constitution gives Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce, but not buying something means you’re not in commerce.

This is where the word games begin.

Government lawyers say everyone buys health insurance eventually, so that’s the same as being in commerce today. The lawyers claim health insurance is unique, because costs go up unless everyone buys the insurance.

Oh, really? Don’t we all die eventually, so can we be required to buy burial insurance? And health costs only go up if government gives care free to those who don’t pay, and makes the rest of us pay the difference.

If we can be ordered to buy health insurance, we can be ordered to buy whatever the government dictates. So when you hear claims that Obamacare is somehow constitutional because health care is unique, my advice is: Don’t buy that argument.

From The Heritage Foundation, I’m Ernest Istook.

[audio: http://com.talkradionews.audio.s3.amazonaws.com/2012/3/20120328Istook.mp3]