Yes it is unconstitutional. So is “No Child Left Behind” and the Federal Income Tax. If they pass it, you pay it. What else are you gonna do? That’s why we have to fight it now.

The hilarious part of all this, this is headed to the Supreme Court – and we Conservatives control the Court, so we’ll have the last laugh

and he who laughs last, laughs the loudest !

Yes it is unconstitutional. No where in the constitution is the government given the authority to order the people to purchase anything. Also the car insurance comparison is a fallacy for the reasons you point out AND because the requirement to buy car insurance is not a FEDERAL requirement. It is required by the states at the state level.

I think so. But I also think that is why they are calling it a tax assessment rather than a fine. Subterfuge! It has worked in other places and at other times. I think Pelosi got the idea from California where instead of additional taxes, which had been voted down by the taxpayer, they came up with an assessment called Mello-Roos which basically were added to property taxes. In the year 1999 my Mello-Roos assessment was essentially equal to my property taxes, both of which were added to my mortgage. It was something of a clever scam because they were hitting us for hundreds of dollars more per month while claiming property taxes hadn’t changed.

Its another example of how the government gets around the will of the people and why one of the prominent reasons I moved out of California.

You have two choices here alright? Either you make sure everyone is paying into insurance using premiums or “fines…

OR

You give hospitals the right to refuse care for people that can’t immediately demonstrate the ability to pay for it. So next time you go riding your bike without your wallet, and accidentally get hit by a car or fall and get knocked unconscious, the hospital will say “We can help this person, but since they don’t have an insurance card with them, Umm… sorry” and then you are screwed.

If you don’t want car insurance, don’t drive a car on the public roads. Walk or ride your bike or take a bus.

If you don’t want medical insurance then you either;

1. Somehow proimse that you will not seek any medical care that you can’t pay for.

or

2. Accept that you will be refused care that you can’t demonstrate the ability to pay for…

Or you can just get medical insurance/pay the fine, and then live happily knowing that if you get messed up, you will be saved even if you’re too badly injured to ask for it.