Obamacare frightening
June 29, 2012
By Raul Labrador
U.S Representative

The decision by the Supreme Court of the United States that Obamacare is constitutional undermines the concept of limited government embodied by the Tenth Amendment. It is one more example of James Madison’s observation, "There are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations."

Our Founding Fathers would be appalled that their vision of a limited government no longer exists.

The court has declared that Congress has the ability to regulate Americans’ behavior by using taxes to force them to act. This should frighten all Americans who believe in freedom and liberty. It is now more clear than ever American people need leaders committed to limited government.

It is a disappointment that the Court has failed to recognize that the Constitution defines the role of a limited central government in this nation and that the Tenth Amendment in our Bill of Rights reserves all other powers to the States or to the People.

The underlying philosophy of Obamacare was always about more than just health care.

The fundamental grievance that I have with this law, and in particular the individual mandate component, is that no government should ever be powerful enough to compel its citizens to purchase a product or a service under penalty of law.

What is there now to prevent the federal government, or one of its agencies, from taxing us to compel the purchase of life insurance, a cell phone or any other product Washington deems is necessary for us all?

In Idaho, we recognized these principles immediately when the concept Obamacare was first raised. I was a proud sponsor of the Idaho Health Care Freedom Act when I was in the Idaho Legislature.

That law stood up to the federal government on behalf of Idaho’s citizens and protected our rights to make our own decisions for ourselves with respect to health care.

One of the first votes I cast as your Congressman was to repeal this massive government takeover of our nation’s health care. We were right then in opposing Obamacare and we are still right now.

While the Supreme Court has ruled Obamacare is constitutional, it does not mean that Obamacare is good law or policy. I, along with the majority of Americans believe it is not.

I call on my colleagues in Washington, both Republicans and Democrats alike, to listen to the will of the American people and repeal Obamacare. We can then sit together and begin a new, honest and open dialogue about how we can reform our nation’s health care system. Neither Republicans nor Democrats have a monopoly on all of the right ideas, but if we listen to each other and the American people, I am convinced that we can make long term improvements to health care that expands access and controls our costs.

I want families to be able to make their own choices in health care, visit the doctor of their choosing, and receive the health care they and their doctor feel is best. Those decisions shouldn't be made by Washington, as Obamacare will do. I am optimistic that Congress can and will do better.