Tonight, Pete Sessions will hold a health care town hall meeting in Richardson; on Wednesday, he'll be in Irving, once again ignoring his constituents in the southern sector of the district.
Knowing Pete, he probably won't deliver any solid information about how you and your family can benefit from the new reforms of the insurance industry, but if anti-reform rhetoric is your idea of a fun evening out, bring your own popcorn to one of the following events:
Richardson Town Hall Meeting
Monday, March 29, 2010 7:00pm – 8:30pm
Charles W. Eisemann Center
2351 Performance Drive
Richardson, Texas 75082
Irving Town Hall Meeting
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
7:00pm – 8:30pm
Irving City Hall
825 W. Irving Boulevard
Irving, TX 75060
For even more fun, play GOP Talking Points Bingo!
8 years ago
9 comments:
As you guys know there are many groups that are going to file a lawsuit challenging the Constitutionality of the healthcare bill.
So my question is this, what do you guys think gives the Federal Government the authority to regulate the healthcare industry? I'm not saying it is or is not Constitutional. I'm just asking whether or not you can find any clause that permits the Federal Government to make such laws.
JOhn
In the opinion of the Sessions Watch team, regulation of the health insurance industry is long overdue. Under this new law, the insurance industry is still intact as the major "paymaster" for health services; since they campaigned so hard for a place at the table, they need to be regulated. Cutting costs by denying care to sick people, for instance, is an example of "bad capitalism," cannibalizing product to increase profits. It's unsustainable. The U.S. always makes laws and set standards about how private businesses operate in the country. Since the insurance industry campaigned relentlessly to be part of the reform measure, they need to do their part. It would be nice if they'd reform themselves voluntarily, but they've had plenty of chances to do that and have done nothing. So now, there's a new law.
By the way, most of the Sessions Watch team favored a Medicare-buy-in system for those without insurance, but the insurance company lobbyists screamed bloody murder over that idea. So now, they'll have to deal with regulation.
For an early review of Pete Sessions' town hall meeting in Richardson, look here.
As for the question about Constitutionality, most legal experts believe the Commerce clause, which gives Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce, covers modern day health care industry. As for the mandates, the Sixteenth Amendment gives Congress the power to levy an income tax, which is how the mandate is enforced. Obviously, there will be lawyers who will argue otherwise. Lawyers are like that.
The DMN said Sessions had 2 doctors and a health care policy analyst with him at the town hall meeting. Anyone know who these people are and what are their arguments?
Thank you for the insight Mark. I had done some research on other large entitlement programs like Social Security. The Social Security story above certainly is interesting. From what I have read so far, the Constitutional basis usually comes from the interstate commerce clause, and the general welfare clause. We'll see which they pick this time and see what happens.
JOhn
The Social Security link is not obvious above. Here it is again:
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig3/attarian7.html
JOhn
Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress the power to "provide...for the general welfare of the United States." It also give Congress the authority "to regulate commerce...among the several states."
There is nothing in the Constitution that specifically denies the right of Congress to regulate the health insurance industry. Therefore, if the health insurance companies operate in more than one state, then Congress has every right to regulate them.
Thanks for the comments, everybody. Pete Sessions is in favor of "buying health insurance across state lines," which is kind of what this new law does, allow any citizen to buy any kind of insurance they want from anywhere. So, yes, the anonymous poster of 4:16 p.m. is correct, that if people are allowed to buy insurance from anywhere, Congress has the right to regulate the industry.
Part of the Health Care Law is a requirement that the citizenry buy a product from a private entity.
Is this aspect of the law constitutional?
By way of example, if Congress passed a law that required that every citizen buy two pair of panty hose every week, would that be Constitutional?
Will the government regulate the insurance industry as well as it regulates the banking industry? The government has actually sanctioned fraud and front running by the banks and brokers.
Will the government sanction similar amoral and illegal practices in the insurance industry?
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