Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Hou) Cites Constitution to Defend Obamacare

There is good news here. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee is actually citing the U.S. Constitution in her defense of Obamacare. In particular, she's pointing to the Fourteenth Amendment, Section 1. The part she points to in that section is the part about states not being allowed to deny citizens 'equal protection of the laws.' Yes, that's beyond laughable but it's another sign that the Tea Party is not only framing the terms of the debate - the Constitutionality of this monstrosity - but will likely win it.

The biggest argument against Obamacare being constitutional is the Individual mandate, which says that the Federal government is authorized to force citizens to purchase something. Lee's defense is basically that those who can't afford that mandate are entitled to the money of those that can. Yes, Lee is pointing to the Fourteenth Amendment to justify wealth re-distribution.

This is Classic.

Via The Blaze:



Jackson Lee wasn't done. The next day, she went on the House Floor and cited the Fifth Amendment, again pointing to the part about pursuit of life, liberty, or property. If she would have kept reading, she'd have stumbled across the last sentence, which says, 'nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.'

Unwittingly, she makes the case against Obamacare by citing this Amendment. Money in my possession is inherently my private property. Therefore, an individual mandate that says I must buy health insurance so that those who can't afford it may have it also is wealth re-distribution and theft. Obamacare takes private property and makes it for public use. More patients and less doctors is hardly just compensation.

Ms. Jackson Lee, PLEASE keep talking.



More at American Spectator

Hawaii Governor's Progress on Proving Obama's Eligibility

Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie (D-and member of Democratic Socialists Caucus) made headlines last month when he decided to go to bat for Obama's proof of citizenship. He pledged that he would produce documents that would once and for all silence the Birthers - or at least put them officially on par with flat-earthers if his evidence still didn't appease them. Now that it's been a month, let's check in with the progress of Socialist Abercrombie.

In an interview with a Hawaiian newspaper, Abercrombie apparently has nothing tangibly new to report.

Via Honolulu Advertiser:

Q: You stirred up quite a controversy with your comments regarding birthers and your plans to release more information regarding President Barack Obama's birth certificate. How is that coming?

A: I got a letter from someone the other day who was genuinely concerned about it; it is not all just political agenda. They were talking on Olelo last night about this; it has a political implication for 2012 that we simply cannot have.

(Abercrombie said there is a recording of the birth in the State Archives and he wants to use that.)

It was actually written I am told, this is what our investigation is showing, it actually exists in the archives, written down ...

...What I can do, and all I have ever said, is that I am going to see to it as governor that I can verify to anyone who is honest about it that this is the case.

If there is a political agenda then there is nothing I can do about that, nor can the president.

If I had to lay money on this one, I'm fairly certain Socialist Abercrombie is now regretting what he did last month. As the clock ticks, he's actually bolstering the case of those he's so intent on debunking.

A particular movie line from Al Pacino in GlenGarry GlenRoss comes to mind: "You wanna know the first rule you'd know if you ever spent a day in your life. You NEVER open your mouth 'til you KNOW what the shot is."

It would seem to me that Socialist Abercrombie did not apply that rule.

More on how this controversy began HERE and HERE.

h/t Weasel Zippers