Pelosi: Constitutionality of individual mandates not “serious” question
posted at 1:36 pm on October 23, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
First Patrick Leahy scoffed at questions over whether the federal government has the authority to order Americans to buy a particular product, even though that has never happened in our 233-year history, and now the Speaker of the House claims that the question is “not serious.” CNS News has the audio of Nancy Pelosi providing the Democratic dodge on the constitutionality question:
CNSNews.com: “Madam Speaker, where specifically does the Constitution grant Congress the authority to enact an individual health insurance mandate?”
Pelosi: “Are you serious? Are you serious?”
CNSNews.com: “Yes, yes I am.”
Pelosi avoided answering the question, probably because she doesn’t have an answer. Her spokesman said that it was “not a serious question,” but if so, one would presume that Pelosi or her office could provide an easily-corroborated answer. After all, the Constitution is where Congress derives all of its authority. It’s not exactly a lengthy document. How difficult is it to cite the clause that enables Congress to impose a mandate on its citizens to spend money on anything but a tax?
Well, as it turns out, pretty darned difficult. The interstate commerce clause doesn’t apply because Congress doesn’t allow for interstate commerce in health insurance. The “general welfare” clause has never applied to individual mandates, which is why neither Leahy or Pelosi will invoke it publicly. If they trot that out in front of the Supreme Court, they’ll essentially be arguing that the federal government has the authority to impose any kind of mandates at any time on anyone in the country, which makes the limitations of power in the Constitution meaningless — and by extension, makes the Supreme Court meaningless as well. Good luck getting them to buy into that policy.
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And then..
There will be tens of millions of Americans that had health care..
That will have it dropped or drop it themselves due to expense.
Thanks Nancy.
Electrongod on April 25, 2013 at 8:05 PM
Surely, the poll was taken of Rush fans of 98% when most other polls are ‘more fair’ by running D45, I35, and R20.
Liam on April 25, 2013 at 8:11 PM
Pelosi and shumer can you think of a combination
That would be more evil?
Well now that I think about it reid and waxman oblamer
Wow just too much evil to list .. Sorry
I should have thought this through.
MrMoe on April 25, 2013 at 8:17 PM
So 21% of the population lives in a vacuum and has no idea who she is? These aren’t “low information voters”, these are DEAD voters.
Nancy-poo is the reason the Democrats won’t retake the House.
GarandFan on April 25, 2013 at 8:18 PM
Evil is hard to contemplate if you’re not in its fold.
Liam on April 25, 2013 at 8:19 PM
About 21% of Americans identify as liberal.
Maybe that’s why the numbers match — not even THEY want to be identified with her?
Just a snarky idea…
Liam on April 25, 2013 at 8:21 PM
Right on its just natural for them
I am disgusted at these communists
MrMoe on April 25, 2013 at 8:22 PM
Sadly America knows only a FRACTION of her political dealings.
It the TRUTH came out in toto … she would be tarred and feathered and run out of town on a rail. She is old enough to remember those days.
Missilengr on April 25, 2013 at 8:40 PM
I don’t like, despise pelosi ried et al. They are scum
But boehner, rubio, et al; they are supposed to be on our side.
davidk on April 25, 2013 at 8:44 PM
If you don’t want Nancy Pelosi to become Speaker of the House again, make sure you have a strong Republican candidate running for Congress in your district in 2014.
Pelosi’s district in San Francisco is almost certain to re-elect her to Congress in 2014.
In 2012, Pelosi got 253,709 votes to win re-election with 85.08% of the vote.http://sfelections.org/results/20121106/index.php
Nancy Pelosi may not be liked in 99.9% of the country, but San Francisco voters evidently love her. San Francisco is unique in so many ways.
wren on April 25, 2013 at 8:49 PM
Pelosi is human trash and if not for our completely dysfunctional political system she would be playing the part of an aging scorned wife, downing handfuls of Valium while her husband was out with his mistress.
Bishop on April 25, 2013 at 8:58 PM
Pelosi is human trash and if not for our completely dysfunctional political system she would be playing the part of an aging scorned wife, downing handfuls of Va1ium while her husband was out with his mistress.
Bishop on April 25, 2013 at 8:59 PM
Val.ium? Really? The filter hits on Val.ium?
Time to catch up with the rest of the world, HotGas, and maybe update your system, what a joke.
Bishop on April 25, 2013 at 9:00 PM
Well known, least liked–I can think of someone else who fits the bill.
hillsoftx on April 25, 2013 at 9:04 PM
Did they mention Nanzi could scare Nosferatu?
viking01 on April 25, 2013 at 9:04 PM
Scumhag on a broom!!!
Schadenfreude on April 25, 2013 at 9:38 PM
Only a district full of sodomites could elect such a despicable reprobate.
tom daschle concerned on April 25, 2013 at 9:41 PM
Welcome to Chicago, buddy.
Lanceman on April 25, 2013 at 10:27 PM
ditto
Plastic surgery addict moron. Replaced her brains with a silicon boob on her 1998 surgery. Gave brain to McCain.
pat on April 26, 2013 at 2:13 AM
Let me deliver the ultimate insult to Pelosi that I know will get under her skin.
If FDR himself was still alive, if he shook hands with Pelosi,he would immediately be washing them afterwards with scalding hot water and then applying half a bottle of hand sanitizer to them, because even HE would consider her that loathsome!
Have a nice day, SanFranNan!
pilamaye on April 26, 2013 at 5:46 AM
My idea of eternal damnation would be to spend all eternity listening to this creature blather on about her views on politics, communism and evil republicans.
acyl72 on April 26, 2013 at 7:09 AM
Do these people ever look any further than the tip of their noses? Libs are jumping up and down that an expansion of Medicaid will give another 70,000 access to health care in our state, but do not consider that we don’t have enough doctors to go around. Remember, ‘if you like your doctor you can keep your doctor’, well, you can if you can get an appointment when you need one.
Kissmygrits on April 26, 2013 at 9:47 AM
Pelosi really needs to be put out to pasture. She has an insane frame of mind in keeping this country strong. ObamaCare is a law that will criple American in a horrible way. Why isn’t Congress in this plan?
karlinsync on April 26, 2013 at 10:07 AM
Anything is possible in this great country.
The truly amazing phenomenon is how is it that someone who is so vacuous of fundamental knowledge and intelligence get to be FOURTH in line to be POTUS.
The baton is passed from VP then Secretary of State then Speaker of the House as I recall.
I’ll blame the Manure Stream Media for this and other recent atrocious situations. They’ve completely abandoned their fundamental purpose as journalists.
A friend in the circle of academe (local University) says they teach ‘advocacy journalism’ these days.
Curious, I always thought that was the arena of Used Car Salespersons?
Missilengr on April 26, 2013 at 7:07 PM