Claiming health care bill "is unconstitutional," Huckabee compares individual mandate to poll tax
December 03, 2009 12:13 pm ET by Media Matters staff
From Mike Huckabee's December 2 Q&A with Christianity Today:
Would you vote for the health-care bill if the Stupak amendment [that bans funding for abortion] was retained in the final version?
Absolutely not. First of all, I don't have any confidence that the Democrats in the House plan to honor that in the long term, and secondly, if abortion wasn't even a part, it's still going to create huge deficits. It's a job-killing bill. It intrudes into an area of people's responsibilities and rights as citizens. I think the bill on its face is unconstitutional, in that it requires the purchase of a product for a person to exercise his or her rights as a citizen. We already decided that's unconstitutional when we outlawed the poll tax that required people to pay money in order to vote, because the Supreme Court declared that you can't make people pay money in order to enjoy the rights and benefits of citizenship. That's exactly what this bill does, and I think it's an outrage and an insult to the Constitution and to the citizens of the United States.
Previously:
Legal experts debunk conservative media's claim that health reform proposals are unconstitutional
Completely azz-backwards as usual, Huckleberry.
As governor Huckabee mandated that all public schools monitor the weight of all school children, and then to notify parents if their children exceeded guidelines. You get a notification if your child is overweight.
Got that?
I'd be surprised if Huckabee has actually read more than 5 pages of the bill to which he refers.
I think the recent shooting rampage by the guy he furloughed has crippled his political future anyway, but if he really thinks healthcare is a right, the Palinites are going to eat him for breakfast.
Mike H - "because the Supreme Court declared that you can't make people pay money in order to enjoy the rights and benefits of citizenship."
Nice analogy if you have not idea what the F you are talking about.
Poll tax unconstituional : paying to exercise right and benfit of citizenship
HCR "Unconstitutional" : paying to .........
Is he calling access to health care a right and benefit of citizenship? What am I missing?? I get the first part of his comment - that HCR would intrude on an idividual's right to purchase or not purchase insurance - even if I don't necessarily agree with it. But he loses me the next second - if you are forcing an individual to purchase something (poll tax) TO exercise their rights (vote) then affordable health insurance and not getting screwed by the insurance company is a RIGHT and you are being forced to buy insurance to exercise that right. SOOOO should health care be available to everyone without having to purchase it?
Glad to know Preacher Mike is looking out for his flock and the sick and injured
I have the answer. No health insurance mandate necessary. When uninsured citizens show up at hospital ER's to exercise his or her rights as a citizen,--provide treatment--then send the bills to the RNC.
Problem solved. Time for a nap.