WALTER WILLIAMS: Constitutional Contempt
Jewish World Review Nov. 11, 2009
Constitutional Contempt
By Walter Williams
At Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Oct. 29th press conference, a CNS News reporter asked, “Madam Speaker, where specifically does the Constitution grant Congress the authority to enact an individual health insurance mandate?” Speaker Pelosi responded, “Are you serious? Are you serious?” The reporter said, “Yes, yes, I am.” Not responding further, Pelosi shook her head and took a question from another reporter. Later on, Pelosi's press spokesman Nadeam Elshami told CNSNews.com about its question regarding constitutional authority mandating that individual Americans buy health insurance. “You can put this on the record. That is not a serious question. That is not a serious question.”
Suppose Congress was debating a mandate outlawing tea-party-type protests and other large gatherings criticizing Congress. A news reporter asks Nancy Pelosi where specifically does the Constitution grant Congress the authority to outlaw peaceable assembly. How would you feel if she answered, “Are you serious? Are you serious?” and ignored the question. And what if, later on, someone from her office sent you a press release, as was sent to CNS News, saying that Congress has “broad power to regulate activities that have an effect on interstate commerce,” pointing out that demonstrations cause traffic jams and therefore interferes with interstate commerce?
via Walter Williams.
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“We shall now commence to construct the Soviet Socialist State!”
— Valdmir Lenin, 1917
“Do not fire unless fired upon! But if they mean to have a war,
let it begin here!”
— American Militia Commander
Lexington Green, 1775
The left has long been violating the constitution, and the conservatives who point this out have been vilified, now the ordinary people are getting upset and the left doesn’t understand what is happening. The leftist in the Senate are going to ignore the voters and pass Health Care, the Cap and Trade bill will also become law, and after that who knows what is going to happen. Welcome to the world the left has created and wants to force us to live in.
I would like to know how I can donate some financial support to Dick Morris’s efforts to kill the health care bill.
I’ve read a fair amount of the commentary concerning the constitutionality (or lack thereof) of a health insurance mandate, but I have yet to see a reasonable argument in its favor. If this mandate were to be found constitutional, it would be the proverbial “exception that swallows the rule” regarding the principle of enumerated powers. Virtually nothing would lie beyond the purview of
Congress’ purported authority.