President Obama and the Democratic party have adopted the noble idea that healthcare should be affordable and available to all Americans. It is a goal shared by most, Republicans and Democrats alike, but they have morphed it into an orchestrated and obvious attempt to increase government control over every aspect of the lives of all Americans. They took something good and bastardized it, for their own purposes. And, because it really is a noble concept and most people feel reform of some kind is necessary, the Democrats have tailored the legislation to be acceptable to many, on the surface, but underneath, it restricts rights, punishes doctors, removes incentives to join the medical profession, costs too much money which is not spent wisely, overloads the system, unnecessarily burdens small business and, if single payer evolves, allows unfair competition between the Government and private insurance companies. All this while 16 million plus are unemployed and the Federal debt and deficit are through the roof! Common sense? Never heard of it. Don’t want any. Wouldn’t know how to use it, anyway.

I found this common sense offering on another site. Since it more than adequately addresses my own growing concerns and the concerns of many, I thought it best to share it with Redstate viewers.

At Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Oct. 29th press conference, a CNS News reporter asked, “Madam Speaker, where specifically does the Constitution grant Congress the authority to enact an individual health insurance mandate?” Speaker Pelosi responded, “Are you serious? Are you serious?” The reporter said, “Yes, yes, I am.” Not responding further, Pelosi shook her head and took a question from another reporter. Later on, Pelosi’s press spokesman Nadeam Elshami told CNSNews.com about its question regarding constitutional authority mandating that individual Americans buy health insurance. “You can put this on the record. That is not a serious question. That is not a serious question.”

Suppose Congress was debating a mandate outlawing tea-party-type protests and other large gatherings criticizing Congress. A news reporter asks Nancy Pelosi where specifically does the Constitution grant Congress the authority to outlaw peaceable assembly. How would you feel if she answered, “Are you serious? Are you serious?” and ignored the question. And what if, later on, someone from her office sent you a press release, as was sent to CNS News, saying that Congress has “broad power to regulate activities that have an effect on interstate commerce,” pointing out that demonstrations cause traffic jams and therefore interferes with interstate commerce?

Speaker Pelosi’s constitutional contempt, perhaps ignorance, is representative of the majority of members of both the House and the Senate. Their comfort in that ignorance and constitutional contempt, and how readily they articulate it, should be worrisome for every single American. It’s not a matter of whether you are for or against Congress’ health care proposals. It’s not a matter of whether you’re liberal or conservative, black or white, male or female, Democrat or Republican or member of any other group. It’s a matter of whether we are going to remain a relatively free people or permit the insidious encroachment on our liberties to continue.

Where in the U.S. Constitution does it authorize Congress to force Americans to buy health insurance? If Congress gets away with forcing us to buy health insurance, down the line, what else will they force us to buy; or do you naively think they will stop with health insurance? We shouldn’t think that the cure to Congress’ unconstitutional heavy-handedness will end if we only elect Republicans. Republicans have demonstrated nearly as much constitutional contempt as have Democrats. The major difference is the significant escalation of that contempt under today’s Democratically controlled Congress and White House with the massive increase in spending, their proposed legislation and the appointment of tyrannical czars to control our lives. It’s a safe bet that if and when Republicans take over the Congress and White House, they will not give up the massive increase in control over our lives won by the Democrats.

In each new session of Congress since 1995, John Shadegg, R-Ariz.,) has introduced the Enumerated Powers Act, a measure “To require Congress to specify the source of authority under the United States Constitution for the enactment of laws, and for other purposes.” The highest number of co-sponsors it has ever had in the House of Representatives is 54 and it has never had co-sponsors in the Senate until this year, when 22 senators signed up. The fact that less than 15 percent of the Congress supports such a measure demonstrates the kind of contempt our elected representatives have for the rules of the game — our Constitution.

If you asked the questions: Which way is our nation heading, tiny steps at a time? Are we headed toward more liberty, or are we headed toward greater government control over our lives? I think the answer is unambiguously the latter — more government control over our lives. Are there any signs on the horizon that the direction is going to change? If we don’t see any, we should not be surprised. After all, mankind’s standard fare throughout his history, and in most places today, is arbitrary control and abuse by government.

    President Obama and the Democratic party have adopted the noble idea that healthcare should be affordable and available to all Americans, a goal shared by most, Republicans and Democrats alike, and have morphed it into an orchestrated and obvious attempt to increase government control over every aspect of the lives of all Americans. They took something good and bastardized it, for their own purposes. And, because it really is a noble concept and most people feel reform of some kind is necessary, the Democrats are able to tailor the legislation to be acceptable to many, on the surface, but underneath, it restricts rights, punishes doctors, removes incentives to join the medical profession, costs too much money which is not spent wisely, overloads the system, unnecessarily burdens small business and allows unfair competition between the nonprofit Government option and private insurance companies. All this while 16 million plus are unemployed and the Federal debt and deficit are through the roof and climbing! Common sense? Never heard of it. Don’t want any. It just gets in the way.

If the individual states have the authority to regulate which healthcare insurance can be purchased in their own state and this unavailability of choice for their citizens is a major cause of high insurance costs (and I believe it is), why, pray tell, doesn’t each state allow all insurance companies to compete within their borders, for the benefit of their own people? Would not this simple tactic be advantageous to all and, at the same time, help to forestall the looming government plan by addressing the topic of affordability? Or, am I all wet?

   For quite some time, I have been uncomfortable, no, angry, at what I call the unbridled “fanatical partisanship” so prevalent in this country. Blind acceptance of Party speak without the application of reason is rampant in America. Today, I was reminded of George Orwell, a visionary author, who provided some context for my concern.