Is Universal Health Care Constitutional?

Where in the constitution is the government given such power? Since the government only has power that is specifically granted to it in that document, it would have to be there.

I imagine it would be somewhere in Article I. Here is a list of powers given to Congress:

Section 8. The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes;

To establish a uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures;

Is Universal Health Care Constitutional?

There is no Constitutional authorization for health care--or as another noted--the other social programs.

Someone who would know a great deal about what the Founders meant is Thomas Jefferson:

%26quot;Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but only those specifically enumerated.%26quot;

In 1828, not that long after the founding, South Carolina Senator William Drayton asked this excellent question:

%26quot;If Congress can determine what constitutes the general welfare and can appropriate money for its advancement, where is the limitation to carrying into execution whatever can be effected by money?%26quot; (閳ユ翻he Unconstitutional Congress,閳?hoover.org)

Once this nonsense starts, it never stops. And it is nonsense because prior to FDR%26#039;s explosive growth in government, Americans were not just ignoring one another or dropping dead with no one caring. The FACT is that Americans have ALWAYS hands down won the title of the world%26#039;s most generous people--for foreign and domestic charity, for money given, as well as time and resources. At last there is a wonderful book that documents what de Tocqueville had been so astonished by when he visited the US. It%26#039;s Arthur C. Brooks%26#039; Who Really Cares?

America has always been, without any serious competition, the most charitable nation.

Our current health care system is in need of massive reform. We frankly should not even have Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, etc. However, as people are not ready to handle the idea of those programs going, I have come across a plan that would work (if politicians and lobbyists would allow it to be enacted). It%26#039;s free-market. No coercion. No dependence on employers to pay for it.

It provides catastrophic coverage, the only TRUE insurance (right now with too many people getting all their little silly office visits covered, we have people who are insured GOING BANKRUPT OVER MEDICAL BILLS--more than half of all bankruptcies are over medical expenses AND most of those folks ARE insured.) In addition to the catastrophic coverage, this proposed plan allows for one physical with follow-up visit per year with reasonable co-pays. That means preventive medicine can be practiced, people can get their vaccinations, review any meds they have, etc. for a reasonable charge. Also IF NEEDED one ER visit with a small co-pay would be covered. But better than that, for the genuinely ill:

no more donut-hole idiocy on meds. IF the med is medically necessary (heart meds, pain meds, chemo) it would be covered--but non-essentials like fertility drugs and ED drugs people would pay for out of pocket or buy an additional policy for.

no more ludicrous caps on needed procedures. Now many policies claim they cover things like a BMT, bone marrow transplant. The small catch--the PATIENT has to come up with $50K or more to pay for it because it%26#039;s capped at a ridiculously small figure.

In other parts of the book how to increase the number of doctors, nurses, etc. without bankrupting such students, etc. is all addressed (read the whole book). In the plan part you can see for free, however, how to FUND this without jacking up our taxes is explained and in doing it that way, another abuse is resolved.

http://www.booklocker.com/books/3068.htm...

So we don%26#039;t have to continue the unconstitutional path to bankruptcy. (BTW, the author desires that plan be transitioned fully to the private sector over the course of about 30 years. Also has a proposal for ending the charade of Social Security, well on its way to bankruptcy, etc. The book is radical, as in root, as in the type of government the Founder%26#039;s actually envisioned.) Oh, the title is Save America, Save the World and it%26#039;s by Cassandra Nathan. It%26#039;s also at Amazon.com where it%26#039;s searchable, but you don%26#039;t get that nice excerpt you can read.

AND here%26#039;s another scary development in the health care and money linkage:

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnfl...

The current system is so broken and it%26#039;s taking down the most vulnerable while some undeserving individuals make out like bandits.

Is Universal Health Care Constitutional?

Despite the length of your question... the answer is simply, %26quot;No, Universal Heath Care is not granted by the Constitution.%26quot;

{edit} I%26#039;m sure that it is hand written in the Clinton%26#039;s personal copy of the Constitution.

{edit} I find it amusing that people actually quote part of the %26quot;preamble%26quot; of the constitution to be part of the powers vested to Congress. %26quot;We the people%26quot;.... Provide for our welfare.... not Congress.

I find it even more hilarious that someone is actually quoting the Declaration of Independence as a source for Constitutional authority for Congress to estabilish socialized medicine.

Is Universal Health Care Constitutional?

It%26#039;s not constitutional. I%26#039;m right there with you, brother!

Is Universal Health Care Constitutional?

It is not constitutional. However, I am sure that Marx would be a huge supporter of nationalized health care.

Is Universal Health Care Constitutional?

Nope..not constitutional...not a right...

Is Universal Health Care Constitutional?

Actually, none of the government social programs have a constitutional basis.

Is Universal Health Care Constitutional?

You already wrote it, promote the general welfare. I would say ensuring the health of this nations citizens is promoting the general welfare.

Is Universal Health Care Constitutional?

duh life liberty pursuit of happiness kind of hard when ur dying

and the money that u payed in taxes to save u is going to haliburton instead

general welfare of the United States;

To promote the progress of science

Is Universal Health Care Constitutional?

Provide for the common defense and GENERAL WELFARE of the United States. If health care is not welfare of the united states I don%26#039;t know what is.

Speaking of the constitution how about the income tax, the federal reserve act, the patriot act and paying private mercenaries such as blackwater.

Is Universal Health Care Constitutional?

No, it isn%26#039;t in the Constitution. There are many things that we now have that are not mentioned in the Constitution. The Constitution was strictly for the preservation of the Union. I would imagine that at the time that it was written, by wealthy men, that there was little concern for the welfare of the general population. They could well afford to take care of themselves so little thought was given to those who were less fortunate. Thank goodness we don%26#039;t live strictly by the Constitution in our everyday lives, many of us would not be here if we had not elected men who did consider the welfare of the rest of society.

Is Universal Health Care Constitutional?

I do find it quite amazing that people quote the Declaration of Independence as part of the Constitution. Now for the Constitution the preamble does say Provide for the General Welfare. Not only is it the Constitutional thing to do, not only is is the Christian thing to do, but it is the right thing to do.

Is Universal Health Care Constitutional?

Yes. there is a giant loophole in the constitution. It%26#039;s called the %26quot;general welfare clause%26quot;