Obamacare frightening
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| June 29, 2012 |
By Raul Labrador
U.S Representative
The decision by the Supreme Court of the United
States that Obamacare is constitutional
undermines the concept of limited government
embodied by the Tenth Amendment. It is one more
example of James Madison’s observation, "There
are more instances of the abridgment of the
freedom of the people by gradual and silent
encroachments of those in power than by violent
and sudden usurpations."
Our Founding Fathers would be appalled that
their vision of a limited government no longer
exists.
The court has declared that Congress has the
ability to regulate Americans’ behavior by using
taxes to force them to act. This should frighten
all Americans who believe in freedom and
liberty. It is now more clear than ever American
people need leaders committed to limited
government.
It is a disappointment that the Court has failed
to recognize that the Constitution defines the
role of a limited central government in this
nation and that the Tenth Amendment in our Bill
of Rights reserves all other powers to the
States or to the People.
The underlying philosophy of Obamacare was
always about more than just health care.
The fundamental grievance that I have with this
law, and in particular the individual mandate
component, is that no government should ever be
powerful enough to compel its citizens to
purchase a product or a service under penalty of
law.
What is there now to prevent the federal
government, or one of its agencies, from taxing
us to compel the purchase of life insurance, a
cell phone or any other product Washington deems
is necessary for us all?
In Idaho, we recognized these principles
immediately when the concept Obamacare was first
raised. I was a proud sponsor of the Idaho
Health Care Freedom Act when I was in the Idaho
Legislature.
That law stood up to the federal government on
behalf of Idaho’s citizens and protected our
rights to make our own decisions for ourselves
with respect to health care.
One of the first votes I cast as your
Congressman was to repeal this massive
government takeover of our nation’s health care.
We were right then in opposing Obamacare and we
are still right now.
While the Supreme Court has ruled Obamacare is
constitutional, it does not mean that Obamacare
is good law or policy. I, along with the
majority of Americans believe it is not.
I call on my colleagues in Washington, both
Republicans and Democrats alike, to listen to
the will of the American people and repeal
Obamacare. We can then sit together and begin a
new, honest and open dialogue about how we can
reform our nation’s health care system. Neither
Republicans nor Democrats have a monopoly on all
of the right ideas, but if we listen to each
other and the American people, I am convinced
that we can make long term improvements to
health care that expands access and controls our
costs.
I want families to be able to make their own
choices in health care, visit the doctor of
their choosing, and receive the health care they
and their doctor feel is best. Those decisions
shouldn't be made by Washington, as Obamacare
will do. I am optimistic that Congress can and
will do better. |
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