by Josh Eboch
Anyone who desires a constitutionally limited federal government should remember and celebrate that its limitations would necessarily cut both ways. Because if federal policy actually adhered to the letter of the Constitution, no single ideological camp could wield sufficient power to impose a set of beliefs on the entire country.
Which was exactly the point of our federalist system, and of the 10th Amendment. Beyond specific, enumerated federal powers, an infinite number of issues were intentionally left to the authority of the people through their state governments. And it is to the states that liberals, conservatives, and even libertarians must address all questions extending beyond the constitutional purview of federal authority.
I very much agree States have important powers which have been usurped. States must use these powers to maintain them. However, the tenth Amendment is; an Amendment. It did not exist in the “original Constitution” it was added. The deliberation on health care is for the purpose of an amendment to the National Constitution and amendments are authorized within the Constitution. If single states did their own health care and no National system were in place, ill people would move to States which have health care, breaking the state system. States would still manage their health care within National guidelines. If a majority of the people in this Nation approve an amendment for Health Care, so be it,
That would have to be quite an amendment if Health Care were to be made constitutional through that route. It would almost be an entire re-write of the document as consolidated power of that nature in DC would be a completely different type of government than the founders created.
If the majority approved National Healthcare, we would all be doomed. We have enough nails in the coffin of limited government as it is. What amazes me is that people still believe in government solutions despite a long and clear record of failure. When has the federal government REALLY gotten anything right? It doesn’t even qualify as Hit or Miss.
I do appreciate someone bringing the amendment process up, though. At least before the 20s the government understood that if such a sweeping change WERE to be enacted, they had to write it into the Constitution to do it. Too bad that mentality was abandoned a long time ago.