When Chief Justice John Roberts upheld the constitutionality of Obamacare, he didn’t just betray conservatives.
His twisted legal logic also betrayed the American people by opening the door to the largest expansion of federal power since Social Security was enacted.
Roberts and his new liberal soul-mates decided it’s OK for the federal government to tax us if we don’t do what Washington’s bullies and nannies want us to do — or think is good for us.
Lord knows, the feds have already taxed us to death — and after death, too — on everything from capital gains to booze. If they can “penalize” us for not buying health care insurance, what’s next?
Tax us if we don’t buy a smaller house? If we don’t buy an electric car? How about if we don’t buy exercise equipment? Or eat broccoli? Or wear Earth Shoes or condoms? There’ll be no end to it.
The principle of limited government — now there’s a quaint 18th-century idea — in Washington has been passe since Calvin Coolidge left town. But as my libertarian friend, Judge Andrew Napolitano of Fox News, said this week, the Obamacare decision has created a new opportunity for unlimited government.
You don’t have to be a constitutional scholar like the judge to know that the Supreme Court has set a horrible precedent. But that judicial train wreck has left Union Station. It’s time to stop whining and get to work.
The only way we can derail Obamacare and the Even Bigger Government Express is by firing the engineer in chief and electing a Congress that will legislatively undo the damage the Supreme Court has done to individual liberty.
It won’t be easy. But the Fourth of July holiday is the perfect time for voters to start another revolution to win back the freedoms our Founding Fathers fought for 236 years ago.
They risked their lives and fortunes to secure liberty for the individual and put government in its place. They knew the only way people can be free is when their government is kept small, weak and fragmented. And when it takes orders from the people instead of the other way around.
We hear precious little praise for the principle of limited government in 2012 America. I’m sorry to say that the last president who had a deep understanding of the proper relationship between government and a free people was my father, Ronald Reagan.
He knew the spirit of freedom had to be kept alive by the people. In 1961, when his earliest political speeches were arguing against the legislation that eventually created Medicare, he warned us that freedom is not in the DNA of Americans; it is in our hearts and minds.
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”
We need to get fired up about freedom and start fighting for it — at home. Every single American who’s outraged by the Obamacare decision should be energized to show up and vote this fall. And the next dozen falls. If we don’t starting fighting for our freedom now, we deserve to lose it.
Michael Reagan is the son of President Ronald Reagan, a political consultant, and the author of “The New Reagan Revolution” (St. Martin’s Press). Visit his website at www.reagan.com. Send comments to Reagan@caglecartoons.com
mnjcpa posted at 10:18 am on Fri, Jul 6, 2012.
Stellar article Mike - it's why I'm so vocal this election. I know I've turned several voters thinking around by helping them understand the impact of the Obama administration on our rights and freedoms. This lawless bunch have to be sent home in November as they're slowly but surely stripping every freedom we know as America. That Hope & Change you voted for? Take a look at Europe because it's where we're going, soon.
chatmandu002 posted at 10:52 am on Fri, Jul 6, 2012.
Michael,
I agree that the Justice Roberts decision on Obamacare will have untold consequences down the road. Any spin that may try to interpret Justice Roberts decision as somehow good is just "spinning out of control".
If re-elected I'm sure Obama will try to pass is a carbon tax on everyone. Now you are born in this country with a healthcare tax, next will be the tax on breathing. What other laws and taxes can we expect? Only your friendly tax and spend congressmen or president know for sure.
chuckles3 posted at 12:57 pm on Fri, Jul 6, 2012.
Yes, it is very worrying the way Roberts worded his decision. The only satisfaction I got from the decision was how wrong both sides legal "experts" were trying to call the decision and the opinions.
The Federal Government can now tax us for doing nothing but minding our own business. Not much of a stretch for compulsory 'behavioral correction' laws to be next.
mnjcpa posted at 1:12 pm on Fri, Jul 6, 2012.
Right on chuckles......all this is is another form of redistribution of wealth. It's the same game, different venue.
wdgnas posted at 6:22 am on Sat, Jul 7, 2012.
The principle of limited government:
i have to laugh. barry goldwater would be a a far left radical in this political climate.
Accuracy posted at 9:44 am on Sat, Jul 7, 2012.
“ObamaCare decision has created a new opportunity for unlimited government.”
An excellent ‘FACT’ Michael…. and in actuality, ObamaCare decision was extremely disappointing.
President Obama promised the American people that ObamaCare was not a tax – while arguing it was a tax to the Supreme Court. It is the most deceptive tax increase in American history.