Off-Topic

Exactly. The question here is not opting out of the "medical market," it's opting out of the "insurance market."

Utterly false. The transportation anaology is very apt. Not enough people were buying American cars. (they were buying japanese cars, walking, riding bikes....taking public transportation...mangt made bad decisions or less desirable products. whatever). As a result...we had to bail out GM.

Not everyone uses medical services. Heck...there are entire religions in this country. (Christian scientists) who dod not use any modern medicine. Its against their religion.

All inactivity has costs associated with it. Think about it for a second. You like the public policy of this. I get that. But it this passes constitutional muster...everything does. All activity....and now inactivity has a cost associated with it.

This isnt a pub/Dem thing. As I said before....I would HATE a single payer, govt run system. But I can admit that it wouldn't run afoul of the Commerce Clause.

People not engaging in preventative medicine can cause serious conditions not to be caught until they are in advanced stages, which makes them more expensive to treat. This imposes costs on the system, therefore the government should tell you how often to go to the doctor and what tests should be performed. Congress should pass a bill mandating that every citizen must get one physical, two visits to the dentist (because oral hygiene is linked to other kinds of hygiene), and screenings for diabetes, cancer, and congestive heart disease.

My understanding is that the law does not have a severability clause, though I think some of it could be saved if just the mandate is declared unconstitutional.

Yep. And Wickard is, short of Dred Scott and Korematsu, the most shameful case in scotus history. I hope they overturn it but I have my doubts that they'll be willing to take such a bold step.

I can't wait for Kennedy to pontificate about the importance of stare decisis when he showed in Lawrence v. Texas that he doesn't have a problem discarding it when it suits him.

Not necessarily disagreeing re quality of opinion but if they want this gone they need to overturn it rather than disingenuously inadequately distinguish it

Just like to add that anyone who didn't see this decision coming from this judge idiots. The judge owns part of a consulting firm that works to get GOP candidates elected including Boehner, Bachman, McCain, etc. The firm also worked on behalf on the plaintiff (attorney general of VA) to get him elected.

Now he did say that when became judge he would no longer have anything to do with the day to day operations of the place.

This is a little bit of a streeeetccchhh. He owns like $20K in stock in the firm...that I believe a family member/neighbor started and he invested. I dont believe he ever worked there....or as ever run anything day to day or otherwise. (Dude has been a Federal Judge...and before that a Fairfax Judge for a pretty long time)

This is pretty petty stuff compared to many/most federal Judges. Hudson is no hack....pretty well respected by oth sides of the aisle. (CHeck out Dick Saslaw's comments in the Post last week. Saslaw is a Dem. and the majority leader of the Virginia Senate.)

i want some of this stock. he has gotten 15k a year in dividends on only a 20k investment........

This is going to the supreme court regardless. Could have been learned hand writing the opinion, which ever way it went it was destined to be appealed.

THEY OVERTURNED DRED SCOTT?

What sort of Pennsylvania Yankee propaganda is that?!?

Exactly...it's so easy to say that it's unfair to "force" someone to buy health insurance because on their own monthly medical bills they don't have any break-down of how much uninsured people jacked up their medical bills. I mean people act like the government is forcing fat-a$$ Rushbo to buy HC when in reality it's his underpaid lawn guy that screws us all when that easily treated minor thing turns into a massive bills when dude ends up in the ER. I don't think it's fair that I should have to pay more in premiums because some f*cking morons like to gamble so they can have a few extra bucks for Nascar tickets.