Congressman Mike Pence just said that the health care legislation about to come up for a vote in the House of Representatives “breaks” “the consent of the governed”. But then, the legislation is being passed by a full House vote, with every congressional district in the nation participating in the vote through elected representatives.
How is it possible for anyone to seriously claim that legislation of this sort breaks the consent of the governed? Perhaps if we were talking about a constitutional amendment to eliminate free speech or another fundamental liberty, I’d agree that Congress could be breaking the consent of the governed, but this legislation is nothing of the sort.
Whether you agree with the strategy of health care reform in this particular legislation, you cannot honestly claim that the legislation breaks the consent of the governed. It’s clearly constitutional, fitting within the power of Congress to legislate interstate commerce, as well as the power to provide for the general welfare.
But then, Mike Pence may be less interested in making honest claims than in exciting his right wing political base to support his re-election. Pence also referred to Ronald Reagan’s old political philosophy, saying of tonight’s vote on health care reform, “It’s about whether we abandon the American Revolution”. The American revolution? Health care reform? I can’t remember the speeches given by the Founding Fathers about how the colonies must fight for independence from health care reform.
I do not support the health care reform as it stands. Honestly, I am for a single payer system. As it stands it is nothing more than insurance reform that does not really help the average American citizen. For me, human beings have a right to health care but being from Alabama, my representatives have made it clear that they do not care how I feel about the situation.
Vote ‘em out, Roy!
The (consent of the) governed is “newspeak” for corporations and vested interest groups, NOT us citizens (as it used to be up to about Eisenhower – but maybe even before that).
As far as this so-called reform goes, it needs a LOT of work (and i’m with Roy, single-payer would have been the best system, but Obama was told not to go for that by his corporate masters).
i keep hearing the right’s claim that americans are speaking and the left is not listening. there are polls which suggest americans are not for this reform bill, there are NO polls saying we do not need reform. there are polls that suggest that obama HAS the consent of the governed. these polls are called elections and obama won the last one. mike pence will have to take his claim up at the next election; it holds no water until then.
Enjoy, I did. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQGBYY6HVMs&feature=player_embedded