Current Events vs. Founding Documents
This column presents facts regarding the United States Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Wisconsin State Constitution, and various other documents in reference to modern topics. Mark hopes to encourage interest in those works so that others can consider whether our government is practicing within its constitutional limits. In the last category, he may indicate his opinion. Mark is a resident of New Berlin. Readers are encouraged to visit the following sites for more information on the United States Constitution and Thomas Jefferson's views on politics and government.
Congressman Doesn't Worry about the Constitution
Entry 39
Current Event
From FOXNews.com April 02, 2010
Confronted by an angry Tea Partier with a camera Thursday, an Illinois congressman said in front of several constituents at a town hall that he doesn't care whether the new health care law violates the Constitution, as some critics have claimed.
In a video posted on You Tube, Adam Sharp of the St. Louis Tea Party asked Rep. Phil Hare which part of the Constitution authorizes the government to mandate that all Americans buy a private product such as health insurance. The Illinois Democrat replied, "I don't worry about the Constitution on this."
"Jackpot, brother," Sharp said.
Hare cringed in disgust and said, "Oh please. What I care more about, I care more about the people dying every day who don't have health care."
"You care more about that than the U.S. Constitution that you swore to uphold?" Sharp shouted back.
"I believe it says we have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," Hare countered.
When an observer pointed out that those words come from the Declaration of Independence, Hare said, "Doesn't matter to me. Either one."
When Sharp pressed Hare to answer where in the Constitution government is granted the authority to mandate the purchase of health insurance, Hare said he didn't know.
"But at the end of the day, I want to bring insurance to every person that lives in this country," Hare said.
Sharp said the law won't do that.
The confrontation was the latest example of Democrats going off message in their sales pitch to Americans of the virtues of the controversial health care law.
Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said the health care law would address the "maldistribution of income in America."
"Too often, much of late, the last couple three years, the maldistribution of income in America is gone up way too much, the wealthy are getting way, way too wealthy and the middle income class is left behind," Baucus said after the Senate passed a "fix it" bill to make changes to the health care law.
"Wages have not kept up with increased income of the highest income in America," he said. "This legislation will have the effect of addressing that maldistribution of income in America."
VS
A congressman’s oath of office vs the US Constitution
Founding Document
US Constitution; Tenth Amendment
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
We the People:
We must sternly teach any Congressman or Congresswoman who displays such ignorance and disregard for the Constitution.
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