Affordable Care Act Supreme Court Hearings this week

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by detbuch

Should all the state and local regulations, taxations, mandates, and ordinances that govern the sale and purchase of those other things be replaced by Federal mandates? Wouldn't that make it more uniform and fair, more equal, and even more affordable for all of us? Shouldn't state and local governments be eliminated and replaced by the Federal Gvt.?

The constitution is a list of enumerated powers. It specifically lists powers granted to the federal government, and it specifically says that everything else is left to the states.

Having these types of things mandated by the feds might be more consistent and fair. However, the constitution doesn't say that it can be ignored to promote fairness or consistency.

Johnny D is exactly correct, the analogy of auto insurance is a terrible analogy, because no one is forced to drive a car, and many peopl are not impacted by auto insurance requirements because they don't drive (lots of folks in big cities don't drive, and thus can avoid buying auto insurance without penalty). Obamacare requires every single human being to enter into a contract with a private company. Nothing like that has ever been proposed, I don't think. That it hasn't been proposed doesn't mean it's unconstututional, that's why we have the Supreme Court.