Rep. Rick Larsen at health care town hall meeting in Everett, Washington

Rep. Larsen was asked where the US constitution mandated that the US government pass health care legislation.

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• healthcare
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[wildetequila]

Look we have bickering about is or isn't the Air Force authorized by the Constitution There was no air warfare back then There is now and the Air Force is bound by the Constitution

You can keep up with your slimey polictical maneuvering like Larsen does The fact is the debate is about healthcare not the Air Force

There are huge problems with euro style heathcare I have read about those problems in euro newspaper.

Most Americans cant get past the last tweet to listen a JFK great speech

[rrchapman]

It's not "slimey political maneuvering." It is about how a person interprets the constitution.

What this discussion shows is that some people will read the constitution to grant Congress the ability to establish an Air Force--even though only the Army and Navy are named specifically in the constitution--but are not willing to do the same thing for health care, even though Art. I, Sect. 8 includes "general welfare."

Be consistent. That's all.

[KatrinkaYobotz]

Which came first, Rick? The invention of the airplan? Or the U.S. Constitution?

[rrchapman]

I can answer for Rep. Larsen. The US Constitution. That is why we can be sure that the writers of the constitution did not include the Air Force in the meaning of "defense" in Article I, Section 8.

People need to be consistent. Either the meaning of "defense" expands to include the Air Force--which means "welfare" expands to include health care--or the words always mean what they meant to the framers.

Do you really want to disband the Air Force?

[rrchapman]

Army Air Corps.

[tnewton42]

It was originally the "Army Airforce" and subsequently broken off into its own branch.

[SamuraiCommando]

Larsen voted for the stimulus package.  nuff said..

[rrchapman]

Where does it say "Air Force"? It isn't there.

Larsen is right in that the constitution has been interpreted to allow an Air Force where none has been authorized.

[rrchapman]

Naval air has always been separate, and still is, from the Air Force.

The pilots on CVN 72, the USS Abraham Lincoln, are in the Navy. The electronic countermeasure planes at NAS Whidbey are part of the Navy.

Meanwhile, the planes landing at McChord AFB in Tacoma are a part of the Air Force.

They are in separate branches, just has Army helicopters and Marine jets.

[rrchapman]

I would like to that the two posters for proving Rep. Larsen's point. Every good "strict constructionalist" knows that the Air Force is not listed in the constitution--only the Army and Navy. By strict construction, we should not have an Air Force.

Also, it was the "Army Air Corps" during World War II. It was only after WWII was the US Air Force established from the former Army Air Corps.

Naval air has always been separate.