Short answer:
It doesn’t look like the “conventional” forms of protest (signs, chants, phone calls, emails) that we’ve been using so far are having enough of an impact on our representatives. Been there, done that, let’s try something else.
Long answer:
Nowhere in Congress’ enumerated powers as outlined in the US Constitution’s Article 1, Section 8 will you find the authority to compel US Citizens to purchase anything, let alone a form of health insurance that fits a narrowly defined set of criteria laid out by the federal government. While some representatives are ignorant enough to claim the “general welfare” clause as justification, the courts’ favorite has been the power to regulate commerce “among the several states” when past issues of arbitrary federal power have come up. Minimum wage and federal drug laws serve as past examples.
If my decision not to purchase a government approved health insurance policy qualifies as interstate commerce subject to total government regulation to the point of compelling me to do so, then pretty much anything is permissable, and we are basically face to face with unlimited government. Couple the fact that most of the electorate does not know, understand or care about the details of the Constitution with the fact that, even if they did, our representatives don’t care what we think anyway, bold new steps must be taken.
If the 4-19 rally is big enough, everyone will notice, including elected representatives and congressional candidates, including state legislators, including judges, and including government employees who may eventually be responsible for enforcing unconstitutional mandates.
Simply voting in the other party in November is not going to solve the problem.
Feel good states’ rights laws without teeth (penalties for feds) are not going to solve the problem.
And lawsuits are only as good as the courts which will decide their outcome.
Well, at least we still have the right to bear arms and the right to peacably assemble,………….right??
4-19-2010………as close to DC as possible.
[...] 51% support for my cause…even if that were necessary.” Almond instead calls for “bold new steps” from those who acknowledge the Second Amendment as a bulwark against this “tyranny of [...]