If an Health-Care Mandate is Unconstitutional, so too are all compulsory social contributions
The Republicans are opposed to the health care law on the basis that it requires everyone to be insured, which they say is unconstitutional as it takes away our first amendment right to freedom and liberty. A Florida Court Judge, just now shot down this Health Care stipulation saying it is unconstitutional. This therefore has a number of implications for american society. I am a UPenn student and I am required to have insurance if I am to remain a full-time student. other employers and institutions have such requirements. Therefore, we may also argue that such mandate is unjust and unconstitutional as it takes away my liberties and freedoms to choose. (Of course there is no such thing as unlimited freedoms as unlimited freedoms is a contradiction is terms and practice.) However, private institutions may argue that they are private and as such are not inhibited by societal laws and regulations (in so far as their rights as private companies do not infringe any individual rights. But aren't we all private citizens as well, so what gives them more right to exercise their powers over us than than we do over them?). Further, if persons are opposed to seeking insurance, then they have the right to not go to another college or work for another employer. However, almost all schools and employers mandate their students and workers to be insured or have to provide insurance for their students or workers. So this argument is frivolous. Yes, one cannot easily change their citizenship so this mandate will always hang over our heads, but we can easily decide not to be under any local college or employers stipulation by choosing to go somewhere else. But this is not true, that we can go somewhere else, because, again, almost all institutions require such stipulations and it is not easy to get a job or get into a "good" school; in some cases, it is more difficult to get a job than it is to change country of residents or citizenship. Further, if it is unconstitutional to mandate citizens to purchase health insurance, then is it not also unconstitutional to pay taxes and Medicare and contribute to other social/government programs.
Comments
Post a Comment