Digby not sure whether a mandate is constitutional

[rmp yellow]

Progressive blogger Digby today: "There's no doubt that the federal government has the power to tax for certain benefits or compel payments to outside parties for certain optional privileges (like driving.) But whether it has the power to compel all citizens to pay money to particular private interests is an unknown. Who knows what the Roberts Court will decide on that?"

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/keeping-them-honest-by-digby-bruce-webb.html

[stray cat]

1. It is probably constitutional to deny treatment to those who are not covered or can't pay up front

[Libertas1776]

3. How so?

[babylonsister]

4. It has been so far. nt

[FLAprogressive]

2. Probably not! Why can't we just raise taxes on the rich up to even half of Eisenhower's levels?

That would pay for it and we probably wouldn't have to mandate anything.