The conservatives, both on and off the Supreme Court, always claims that we must look to what the Founding Fathers ideas and intentions were when we decide what is Constitutional and what is not.
Exhibit 'A':
The Militia Acts of 1792, mandated that every able-bodied American male purchase and maintain an operational firearm which was to be kept ready in case there was a need to fend off attack from the country's enemies. This act also stated that if during the course of defending the country, a citizen was wounded, that the cost of his medical treatment would be the responsibility of the state or federal governments. This act was signed into law by President George Washington, "The Father of our Country".
http://consortiumnews.com/2012/04/02/the-founders-musket-mandate/
But you say, well that's not really relevant since the health care portion was secondary and more of an afterthought. OK, how about the actions of another one of the Founding Fathers...
Exhibit 'B':
In July, 1798, Congress passed, and President John Adams signed into law “An Act for the Relief of Sick and Disabled Seamen,” authorizing the creation of a marine hospital service, and mandating privately employed sailors to purchase healthcare insurance.
This legislation also created America’s first payroll tax, as a ship’s owner was required to deduct 20 cents from each sailor’s monthly pay and forward those receipts to the service, which in turn provided injured sailors hospital care. Failure to pay or account properly was discouraged by requiring a law violating owner or ship's captain to pay a 100 dollar fine.
This historical fact demolishes claims of “unprecedented” and "The Constitution nowhere authorizes the United States to mandate, either directly or under threat of penalty...”
http://www.leftinalabama.com/diary/6009/john-adams-signed-a-health-insurance-mandate-into-law-in-1798
OCU
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