[ExI] health care individual mandate

[spike]

> On Sun, Nov 8, 2009 at 8:43 PM, spike <spike66 at att.net> wrote:
 
> > ...the individual mandate to buy health insurance.
> > ...but...
> > What if... you are a member of Christian Science?...
> >
> 
> I don't see this being much different from "car insurance" 
> and Amish buggy-drivers...

The difference is the Amish need not drive buggies, and we need not drive
cars.  When one takes to the public road, one accepts the legal liabilities
that go with it.  Yes, technically we do have the option to not live,
however I do not recommend that option.

> ...Interestingly, the people who 
> provide automobile rides for the Amish need special insurance 
> to do so...

Sure, but drivers have the option to not offer rides to the Amish.  Agreed
again, we have the option to not live, however...

> ...In the case of health care coverage for faithful 
> followers of Christian Science, the government answer is 
> likely to be, "Think of it as just another tax that everyone 
> has to pay" ...

No.  Obama has already assured us there will be no tax increases for those
earning under 250K per year, a solemn promise, never to be broken.  On top
of that, he repeatedly and specifically requested that we not think of the
individual mandate as a tax:  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL7ak__MGyw

The relevant bits are at 3:08, 3:56 and 5:01.

So if the mandate not a tax, how is it applicable to those whose religion
specifically requires non-use of the service?  And if those guys get to
slide, what about all the new believers?  In any case, where in the
constitution does it say the fed has the authority to make any such demand?
The SCOTUS will boot this into oblivion.

> Same as how I am asked...

Asked?

>...to pay school taxes but have no 
> children to use the school service...

Ja, the state's argument is you use the children who use the school service.
We educate them in the hopes it reduces the probability they will slay us.
It is not as clear to me that this argument could be extended to the
Christian Sciencers using those who are serviced by our medical system.
Perhaps very vaguely so.

spike