Also, Obama's Taxes Are Higher

Virginia's Republican attorney general, Ken Cuccinelli, was in federal court yesterday to make the constitutional case against the new law requiring all Americans to obtain government-approved health insurance. Afterward, The Daily Caller reports, he drew an unfavorable comparison between President Obama and King George III:

Cuccinelli said Monday that at no other time in American history had a government forced citizens to purchase a product and gotten away with it, even the British King that sparked the American Revolution….

In 1774, the American colonists signed onto a document that notified King George III that Americans would boycott British goods until the so-called "Intolerable Acts" were lifted. Speaking like a history professor, Cuccinelli told the story of how American colonists boycotted British products in response to the Acts more than 200 years ago.

"The King's own lawyer, his solicitor general, advised him that the boycott was legal under British law and that Americans could not be forced to buy British goods," Cuccinelli said. "Yet in 2010 we have a Congress and a president that have enacted a law that compels Americans for the first time in history under the guise of regulating commerce, that they must buy a private product even when the King of England and the parliament that we rebelled against acknowledged that they should not have the authority to compel us to do that when we were their subjects."

This may be a risky rhetorical gambit for the Republicans, since the last president they supplied not only was prone to extravagant claims of executive power but had the name to match.

My column tomorrow will consider Cuccinelli's more substantive arguments against the individual health insurance mandate.

Comments

[Brian Sorgatz]

I'm in no position to judge anyone for inflammatory rhetoric. "Teenage liberation (sustained grunt)! Teenage liberation (sustained grunt)! Teenage liberation (sustained grunt)!"

[sage]

Where Have All the Good Trolls Gone?

[Episiarch]

Troll...or blogwhore?

[Warty]

It's best not to think about what he actually is. Just look the other way.

[Brian Sorgatz]

I don't care what any of you say. Sitemeter tells me the fish are bitin'.

[Barely Suppressed Rage]

I have to admit I clicked the link just out of morbid curiosity. Having read what awaits there, I'd say he's off his meds or something.

I'm still not sure what it was about or what the point was.

[waffles]

if everyone boycotts health insurance then everything will work out just fine. but only if everyone does it. let's all cancel our policies, together!

[johnl]

Why bother? The insurance companies will be canceling on us first.

[Episiarch]

This may be a risky rhetorical gambit for the Republicans, since the last president they supplied not only was prone to extravagant claims of executive power but had the name to match.

Well, if they shitcan Obamacare with the argument, and then it can be used on them when they overreach as soon as they are back in power, well, that just seems like 100% win to me.

[Pro Libertate]

I'm not clear on why new wave Republicans can't at least partially repudiate Bush. Running against Obama and Bush strikes me as win, win, win.

I'm also up for a Declaration of Independence from our current government. Then we can sit down and write a new constitution. Hey, wait a second, I have one right here. Just delete the part about slaves and a few bad amendments, and we'll be ready to go. I'll underline the Commerce Clause for emphasis, too.

[R C Dean]

I'll underline the Commerce Clause for emphasis, too.

If by underline, you mean strike through, count me in.

[Pro Libertate]

Well, there might be some actual commercial reasons for something like that. State governments could eff everything up from their end, like they did under the Articles.

Maybe interstate commerce could be handled by a separate body--i.e., not the federal government?

[cynical]

Still, it could be limited to a power to strike down shitty state laws, rather than a power to pass shitty federal laws.

[Amakudari]

That implies that the Ninth imposes functional limits.

I think it would have to be written in the negative, to preclude federal involvement in commercial activity that does not involve an exchange of goods and payment across state lines. Still not perfect, but better.

[Juice]

Sorry. Current constitution is too short and vague, gives too much power to too few.

[John Thacker]

With all due respect, if you think that a longer Constitution actually gives fewer power to the few (politicians and bureaucrats), then you're crazy.

[John Thacker]

California's constitution is extremely long and detailed, as is Alabama's. Two of the three longest in the world. Are they better off for it?

[Old Mexican]

This may be a risky rhetorical gambit for the Republicans, since the last president they supplied not only was prone to extravagant claims of executive power but had the name to match.

What's with this "we" business, Kimosabe? It was only ONE guy who made those comments.

[Xenocles]

Enemy of my enemy, what what.

[Kena.101]

The US pays 50% more for health care per person than the next nation and we get the 37th worst care for it. This while the US Health Insurance giants boast about Billions in profits. What does it take for people to figure what political party is screwing them anyway. Republican Leadership represents the rich only,same as it has been for the psat 35 years..... GO DEMS!

[Joe M]

Move along, nothing to see here.

[Kena.101]

Facts and reality a problem for you to handle? Oh, don't look now but your Tea Party is showing..... 🙂

[Hughett]

Yep, somebody pays about 50% more, but I doubt that you do. You pineapples need to get off of my cloud and out of my wallet. Fucking thief!

[Anonymous Coward]

I thought Reason had a better quality of trolls.

[sloopyinca]

My radar went off. Now I know why, but is it worth the effort?

[FIdel Castro]

I go to Madrid for specialty care.

[Hugo Chavez]

You too? I'm thinking about switching to Iran.

[Mexican peasant]

Screw you guys, I'm going North.

[Jordan]

Health insurer profit margins average 5%, idiot. And it's not Republicans who just passed a bill forcing us to purchase their product.

[Kant feel Pietzsche]

Actually closer to 3%...

[LibertyGal]

37th? CDC says we are 49th in times of life expectancy. The cause is because all insurance cos for decades have based their approval/denial coverage decisions on federally-mandated Medicare. The DEMS passed the even greater non-competitive, price-fixing, rent-seeking Obamacare crafted by the insurance cos. It's those particular legislators in both political parties who vote for rent-seeking legislation that represent the rich. It's really bipartisan socialism for the rich under the guise of helping the poor. Some DEMS just can't two-step think.

[Brett L]

Take out violent death among persons 14-25 and we're at the top, longevity wise. Turns out if you survive to age 30, you'll live longer in America than anywhere else, statistically. I somehow doubt that healthcare is going to substantially affect the rate of violent death of teenage males in America.

[COMMANDER]

Whatever the truth of the matter, the American people need to know how he managed to become a "natural born" American citizen between 1981 and 2008..

Given the destructive nature of his plans for America, as illustrated by his speech before Congress and the disastrous spending plan he has presented to Congress, the sooner we learn the truth of all this, the better.

If you Don't care that Your President is not a natural born Citizen and in Violation of the Constitution, then Delete this, and then lower your American Flag to half-staff, because the U.S. Constitution is already on life-support, and won't survive much longer.

If you do care then Forward this to as many patriotic Americans as you can, because our country is being looted and ransacked! TO THE WEAK-KNEED REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRAT?..TO ALL THE COMMUNIST IN THE IG,FBI,CIA,AND U.S. Senators and the left wing media outlets?..Wake up america!!!! This goverment is the most corrupt we have had in years. The good old boy network is very much in charge.Mr. obama and pelosi are the puppet masters.How many of their good friends benefited by the agreement " what a farce. All of the u.sSenators voted for this. I am ashamed to say I voted for the these corupted self serving politicians.With good reason they picked an out of towner to be president.All u.s departments need an overhaul. We need to rid ourselves of the puppet masters and the dept heads that bow down to obama and pelosi.I am sick of the lip service I have been getting from these dummies over violations, their friends are getting away with.in the goverment . Barack Hussein Obama , threatens friends and bows to Mmslim.
INPEACH OBAMA ,GOD OPEN YOUR EYES.///For us there are only two possiblities: either we remain american or we come under the thumb of the communist Mmslim Barack Hussein OBAMA. This latter must not occur.THE COMMANDER.
OBAMA goes about his business by speaking the lie. II Thessalonians 2 says that he comes "with all deceivableness of unrighteousness." Revelation 13:12 says, "and he spoke as a dragon...." Revelation 17 tells us that he was a false prophet, a prophet being one whose calling it is to speak and to teach. The armies of the world may have guns and tanks and bombs to bring people into submission; but the power of speech and ideas is a mighty power. In his initial attempts to destroy the cause of God Obama used a serpent to deceive the woman with crooked speech: "You will be like God." Now he uses a "dragon" who speaks crafty, lying words. His speeches will be heard by millions who will hang on his persuasive rhetoric. The content as well as the form of his speech will attract. Like most false prophets, he will even be sincere and passionate. But he is a liar. He adds dashes of truth to the mix, so that his lie tastes like truth. He will use all the right catchwords, using the language of the church, even throwing in a Bible text or two. But he is the ultimate Liar, and will deceive many.
OBAMA will use every tool available: school teachers, politicians, news broadcasters, artists, musicians, scientists and doctors, lawyers and businessmen. All will be pressed into the service of OBAMA to deceive men. But especially he will use those whose calling it is to persuade and to teach -- men who claim to be preachers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. ===================Both communists and National Socialists prospered in this climate in which the common people powerfully rejected the whole concept of a liberal democracy.
In the 2009 election campaign obama put himself forward as the strong and decisive leader which america had been longing for. As many have commented, all the Party really offered was order, discipline and authority since they had not drawn up any detailed policies ?quot; however, it was indeed the order, discipline and authority which the america were longing and craving for! Moreover the party made it clear that, when elected, they would form a dictatorship ?quot; not a democracy, but this, again, was exactly what the people wanted
THE COMMANDER,,, REPOST THIS IF YOU AGREE .. THE END OF AMERICA.

[Charles 3E]

fantastic!

[CoyoteBlue]

I can't fap to this!

[cynical]

cool story, bro

[rhea]

No one can force anyone from doing something what they don't want tp. Obama has reasons why he has given this "order", it might be good for the people or not. The question is, can its people afford to get this government-approved health insurance and are insurance agencies willing to take on new policies!?

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[ERK_in_AK]

Isn't this the same guy who is leading a quixotic campaign against a college professor for daring to disagree with the Republicans on climate change?