Paul Tonko (NY-21) Health Care Town Hall, Delmar, NY, 2009-08-25, (WNYT NBC coverage)

[anigoza]

CBO 1994: A mandate requiring all individuals to purchase health insurance would be an unprecedented federal action. The government has never required people to buy any good or service as a condition of lawful residence in the US. An individual mandate would have two features that, in combination, would make it unique. It would impose a duty on individuals as members of society. It would require people to purchase a specific service that would be heavily regulated by the federal government."

[anigoza]

The federal govt has only specific enumerated powers. Tonko overlooks the Ninth and 10th Amendments, which limit Congress's powers only to those granted in the Constitution. The power "to regulate" interstate commerce is Congress' favorite way to justify the regulation of anything it wants to control. James Madison would disagree. Madison and the founders in 1789 viewed that the fed govt should prevent state-imposed tariffs that favored in-state businesses. Not this absurd overreach.

[johnboi70]

Yeah... I love how when their guy is in office, they don't bat an eye at violations, like reading our email, but when our guy is in, suddenly Congress doesn't have the power to pass laws. Must be nice to be able to alter reality when its convenient.

For the record... Congress is the LEGISLATIVE BRANCH. Legislation is the act of writing LAWS.

[adamdblu]

I hate how the news program cut Tonko off a millisecond before he read the text. It was money.

[anigoza]

Paul Tonko is an industrial engineer and is a relative moron re constitutional law.

[adamdblu]

To hold a discussion about law, and hold legislative office, does one need to be a lawyer?

[anigoza]

No to both of those. But to decide whether or not this major piece of legislation is constitutional does require that you be very knowledgeable in constitutional law, e.g. a Supreme Court justice. I'm just pointing out Tonko's absurd assertion that he knows enough about constitutional law (very little) to make such a statement that even a constitutional scholar would agree needs to be decided by the SCOTUS.

[anigoza]

Tonawanda is just as ignorant as Tonko re the Constitution. Applying interstate commerce regulation to the health-care proposal, the plan is unconstitutional at its core. The practice of medicine consists of the delivery of intimate services to the human body. In almost all instances, the delivery of medical services occurs in one place and does not move across interstate lines. One goes to a physician not to engage in commercial activity, but to improve one's health--Judge ANDREW P. NAPOLITANO

[adamdblu]

Actually, the part of the Constitution that Tonko quoted was Art I, Sec 8.1

"The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;"

It is a quite literal answer to the opponent's direct question. i don't think I need ot be a constitutional law scholar to understand what that text says.

[anigoza]

Actually, the interpretation of the constitution is not "simple" and if it were, you'd be a judge and constitutional expert like Judge Napolitano. Neither you, nor I, nor Tonko is expert enough to speak on it. Thats why I quoted a reputable source: Napolitano. Tonko, as coached by the WH, just threw it out to sound like an expert. It was sleazy and manipulative. Industrial engineers (Tonko) should not comment on constitutional law.

[adamdblu]

What is this, like the Talmud? Only the rabbis are allowed to read it?

C'mon man, this was in my 9th grade US History textbook.

[TonawandaBlue]

Art 1 Sec 8 of the US Constitution: Congress has the power to regulate commerce.

Suck it conservative rubes.

[crakneck]

If you voted for George Bush and supported two wars that are costing trillions of dollars. Then your dumb ignorant ass shouldn't mind free health care for Americans. The so called war in Iraq costing $720 million a day. You racist white people are defending the healthcare companies and they are laughing at you getting huge profits and raping people blind. You don't care about the future because if you did you would see what these wars will cost. You care that Obama is black. Keep it real.

[anigoza]

Well I, for one,I did not vote for George Bush and did not vote for Barack Obama. I am against both the war in Iraq (Bush's) and the one in Afghanistan (Obama). I also don't judge people on race. That said, this health care plan is wrong for all of us.

[anigoza]

crakneck asked me "Why would you say Afghan is Obama's war. He was not even in office. What's wrong with you? You like making shit up?" Answer: I didn't say it "was Obama's war". I put "Obama" in parenthesis to convey the fact that he 1) is continuing it 2) has stated it is a necessary war, 3) plans on expanding the war (his commanders are requesting 40,000 more troops be sent). Which of those is "made up"?

[anigoza]

Mon Aug 17 President Barack Obama on Monday called the conflict in Afghanistan "a war worth fighting". "This is not a war of choice. This is a war of necessity," Obama said.

Over 80 troops have been killed so far under Commander in Chief Barack Obama. One more today. These are Barack Obama's deaths. Embrace the truth.