“And where is the constitutional basis for requiring everyone to buy insurance?”

From Dick Morris and Eileen McGann, writing for The Hill, comes this key question:

And where is the constitutional basis for requiring everyone to buy insurance? It is OK for a state to make drivers pay for automobile insurance? Driving is not a right, it is a privilege, and the state may regulate it by demanding insurance. Banks can require homeowners to buy insurance as a condition of their lending. But how does the federal government get the right to require a family to buy health insurance or face a civil penalty and, failing that, to face either a criminal fine or jail?

So, under HR 3962, if you don’t buy insurance and don’t pay the fine, you face an incredible penalty. More from Morris and McGann:

The bill describes the penalties as follows:

• Section 7203 — misdemeanor willful failure to pay is punishable by a fine of up to $25,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year.

• Section 7201 — felony willful evasion is punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment of up to five years.” [page 3]

It is hard to believe American society has degenerated to the point where a draconian government punishment like this doesn’t alarm the citizenry.

There IS a way to improve the delivery of health care in this country and drive down costs. Competition is key. JLF’s Joe Coletti explains the benefits of consumer-driven health care in this interview.