Should Government Pay?

[Shaggyb2000]

a quick poll for allnurses.com members. reply with a "yes" or "no" please.

does the federal constitution give the american federal government the authority or power to collect money in the form of taxes to pay for the health care for anyone who wants or needs it?

[sharona97, BSN, RN]

No way.

Section 7 does not authorize anything. It merely lays out procedure. There also is no pertinent clause in Section 9. An argument can be made that Section 8 does support it implicitly, but it is tenuous. If it took an amendment for prohibition, it definitely would take one to legally implement a universal health care system.

Governments do not have rights, they have delegated powers based upon people's rights.

How is it then that some folks are deported?

[Perpetual Student]

how is it then that some folks are deported?

article 1 sec 8 directly addresses immigration: "to establish a uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the united states."

frankly, i think the immigration in this laws are incredibly lame and believe in much more open borders, but that's another topic.

[sharona97, BSN, RN]

article 1 sec 8 directly addresses immigration: "to establish a uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the united states."

frankly, i think the immigration in this laws are incredibly lame and believe in much more open borders, but that's another topic.

so i take it then this is a government right?

[RainDreamer, BSN, RN]

Rights are different than powers.

[HM2VikingRN, RN]

While the constitution does not address a right to health directly. Article 1 Sec 8. does in effect give congress the right to enact laws for the general welfare. The short answer is that congress can if it so chooses as our elected representatives enact a single payer health care system under our constitution.

[Perpetual Student]

So I take it then this is a government right?

No, it is a governmental power.

For some perspective:

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm

[sharona97, BSN, RN]

Rights are different than powers.

The statement was government does not have any rights. Yes they have the right to deport people and yes that is a power that is exercised.

[RainDreamer, BSN, RN]

Still, two different things there.

[HM2VikingRN, RN]

See:

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.preamble.html accessed today.

See also:

Section 8. The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States....

...

To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.articlei.html#section7

The short answer is yes the Congress is acting within the scope of delegated Constitutional responsibilities to establish a single payer system. Frankly, I think that this is a settled matter of law with the establishment of the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

[RainDreamer, BSN, RN]

"General welfare of the United States", meaning the citizens, a country as a whole? Tax-paying citizens? Illegal immigrants too?

Come one, come all ..... and we'll pay your hospital bill!?

[Jolie, BSN]

Frankly, I think that this is a settled matter of law with the establishment of the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

Medicaid and Medicare are neither universal, nor single-payor systems. If they were, we would not be debating these issues now. They would already be in place.

[Jo Dirt]

Yes.

I saw a bumper sticker that said If you think health care is expensive now wait until it's free.

Those people need to get real. Of the one thing the government should be involved in, healthcar is one of them. But they already are involved in healthcare, with the politicians voting for laws that favor the big businesses/pimps that supply them with their funds. The companies are the pimps, the politicians are the prostitutes, and we are the customers.