Posted by Sir Four at 11:13am Apr 10 '12I did say I could imagine a scenario in which government requires the purchase of a gun, did I not?
First, you said the requirement to buy a product/service is unprecedented.
Second, you said this new precedent suddenly gives the government license to mandate all sorts of purchases.
My contention is still, if there is any precedent set at all, it is that government can make you buy something under unusual, overwhelmingly justified reasons, for which there is no good alternative. The precedent you imagine, which is "government can make you buy any old thing", has not been set. (And would never be politically viable.)
Health care is critically important, literally life and death. And rational market forces were pushing more people out and driving up costs unsustainably.
First, you said the requirement to buy a product/service is unprecedented.
Second, you said this new precedent suddenly gives the government license to mandate all sorts of purchases.
My contention is still, if there is any precedent set at all, it is that government can make you buy something under unusual, overwhelmingly justified reasons, for which there is no good alternative. The precedent you imagine, which is "government can make you buy any old thing", has not been set. (And would never be politically viable.)
Health care is critically important, literally life and death. And rational market forces were pushing more people out and driving up costs unsustainably.
Before I knew about this, - Sir Four