President Obama is right about this much: his health care win is what change looks like. The questions we have to answer are: first, is it right, and second, is it really a win?
By a vote of 219-212, it has passed. Of course, the yeas consider this a victory and them doing their job.
By now, readers of this space will recognize just how wrong this legislation is. If the Congress, by a liberal interpretation of the General Welfare clause (or the Commerce Clause, or the Necessary and Proper clause…), may choose to interject the government in whatever arena they like, we have come to the place of an elective despotism. As Madison wrote in Federalist 58:
An elective despotism was not the government we fought for; but one in which the powers of government should be so divided and balanced among the several bodies of magistracy as that no one could transcend their legal limits without being effectually checked and restrained by the others.
Already, wise Americans are discussing repealing this foolishness. So the question really is: can this be called a win? Today, perhaps. Tomorrow, possibly, but maybe not. November? That’s up to us.
