Founding fathers adopted the first "individual mandate" back in 1792.

[Tx4obama]

The Founding Fathers' "Individual Mandate", by Adam Winkler (Professor at UCLA School of Law)

Excerpt:

.... the individual mandate is not really so unprecedented. In fact the founding fathers adopted the first "individual mandate" back in 1792. It required individuals to outfit themselves with guns and ammunition, even if they had to buy those items from private sellers.

The mandate was included in a series of laws known as the Militia Acts. Early Americans were were fearful of a standing army so they relied on ordinary citizens organized into state militias to fight off Natives and invading armies. States, however, couldn't always be counted on to send their militias to help out other states. Comity was an unreliable basis for national security. And ordinary citizens couldn't always be relied upon to have the equipment they would need to be an effective fighting force.

Congress sought to rectify these problems by passing federal legislation. In the first Militia Act, Congress gave the President authority to call out the militias and imposed penalties on any militiaman who refused to obey orders. In the second Militia Act, Congress included an individual mandate: all free, able-bodied male citizens between the ages of 18 and 45 "shall, within six months... provide himself with a good musket or firelock" or "a good rifle." All men of age were also ordered to equip themselves with ammunition and "a knapsack" to carry supplies. Many citizens already had these items. Those who didn't had to go out and buy them, like it or not, presumably from a private seller.

Full article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adam-winkler/the-founding-fathers-indi_b_523001.html

[TreasonousBastard]

1. That came right on the heels of the adoption of the 2nd Amendment...

which, ahem, mentions militias.

Think there might be a connection there?

[Hoopla Phil]

2. Article I Section 8 of our current constitution provides for a FUNDED mandate. I quote,

"To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia. . ."

The US Government is supposed to PROVIDE the arms for the militia, not make the militia purchase them on their own.

[rfranklin]

3. In 1798, Congress mandated purchase of health insurance...

In July, 1798, Congress passed, and President John Adams signed into law “An Act for the Relief of Sick and Disabled Seamen,” authorizing the creation of a marine hospital service, and mandating privately employed sailors to purchase healthcare insurance. This legislation also created America’s first payroll tax, as a ship’s owner was required to deduct 20 cents from each sailor’s monthly pay and forward those receipts to the service, which in turn provided injured sailors hospital care. Failure to pay or account properly was discouraged by requiring a law violating owner or ship’s captain to pay a 100 dollar fine....