GOP Platform Declares Medicaid Unconstitutional

[kpete]

Source: Think Progress

GOP Platform Declares Medicaid Unconstitutional
By Ian Millhiser on Aug 31, 2012 at 10:30 am

Almost immediately after President Obama took office, many Republican politicians seized upon a distorted vision of the Constitution’s Tenth Amendment that would leave America nearly incapable of governing itself. Indeed, top Republicans — including U.S. Senators, governors and members of Congress — have claimed that everything from Social Security to Medicare to federal disaster relief to national child labor laws all violate the Constitution. A similarly erroneous vision of the Constitution has now infected the GOP’s party platform:

We support the review and examination of all federal agencies to eliminate wasteful spending, operational inefficiencies, or abuse of power to determine whether they are performing functions that are better performed by the States. These functions, as appropriate, should be returned to the States in accordance with the Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. We affirm that all legislation, rules, and regulations must conform and public servants must adhere to the U.S. Constitution, as originally intended by the Framers. . . . Scores of entrenched federal programs violate the constitutional mandates of federalism by taking money from the States, laundering it through various federal agencies, only to return to the States shrunken grants with mandates attached. We propose wherever feasible to leave resources where they originate: in the homes and neighborhoods of the taxpayers.

Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/08/31/778371/gop-platform-declares-medicaid-unconstitutional/

[onehandle]

1. And browns and gays and women and everything that isn't...

[madaboutharry]

2. Next thing you know,

the republicans will be itching for a battle at Fort Sumter.

[abq e streeter]

8. At least the dwindling number who aren't already.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. Paul Lyin' has a plan

[drm604]

4. K&R

[loudsue]

5. All Obama has to do during the debates is recite that part of the platform,

and inform people that this destroys medicare and social security.

Boom! Election won.

[mojo2012]

6. Another lie last night to dupe all of us

What happen to the line in Romney's speech to help the weak, poor, and those who need assistance? Was that another flapping of the lips - the means to justify the end (getting elected)?

[DissidentVoice]

7. Confederation

This lot who claim to be such "constitutionalists" think much more along the lines of the Articles of Confederation (or Confederacy?).

It's ironic that they're such Euro-bashers, because the EU is close to their vision of what this country should be...a loose grouping of virtually independent countries with a common currency and military policy (most of the EU are members of NATO).

Of course, it comes down to a simple equation:

UNCONSTITUTIONAL = we don't like it.

Where were all these self-styled "constitutionalists" when GWB forced the (Un)Patriot Act (which gives the Fourth Amendment the bum's rush) on a scared country and a compliant Congress?

[bemildred]

9. Disembowel the Federal government, that's the plan.

All the states to become their own little feudal fiefdoms not accountable to the Feds, "Welcome to Texas Inc., are you a customer or an employee? "

And it's still really about reversing the New Deal, what is left of it, and the Civil rights revolts of the 60s and 70s by the underclasses.

[starroute]

10. Have they noticed that the blue states pay the most while the red states mooch?

So what they propose would actually screw over their own base in the more thinly-populated rural states. So yeah, why not "leave resources where they originate"? The blue states will be all the better for it.

[xtraxritical]

11. Here's the tenth amendment from The Bill of Rights...

Tenth Amendment –
"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

Taken by itself alone it could justify the republiCON point of view BUT it does not stand alone, specifically there is...

Article I: Section 1 -

"All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives." SS, medicare, medicaid were all legislated by congress under Article I Section I.


RepubliCONs even "spin" the Constitution. Pukes.

[Akoto]

12. Oh, that's just wonderful. As a disabled person ...

Medicaid is the only means I have of getting care for my syndrome. Going to the UoMiami (the only place with pain docs qualified for my condition) costs a lot. Getting all of my meds definitely costs a lot. Without Medicaid, it's all gone.

99% of me is confident that Obama will win, and none of their callous craziness will come to pass. It's the remaining 1% of me that's fucking terrified of the possibility.

[DissidentVoice]

14. As another disabled person...

As a disabled person on Social Security and Medicare, without which I would be destitute (or dead), I worry about the same 1%.

I don't think in my lifetime I have ever seen a segment of the population so hell-bent on creating misery for all but themselves.

[Bandit]

13. We propose wherever feasible to leave resources where they originate: in the homes and neighborhoods

That would not be good for the Red States as they claim far more Federal monies than they pay in, while the Blue states send far more money to the federal Government than they get back.

[JudyM]

15. They want to eliminate *abuse of power*? Let's take them up on that one - hand em a mirror! nt