Subsidizing Bad Habits

Quick Posts

• QOTD: "Just being alive is not interstate commerce."

  Exactly:

  With this law, the federal government will force citizens to buy health insurance, claiming it has the authority to do so because of its power to regulate interstate commerce. We contend that if a person decides not to buy health insurance, that person — by definition — is not engaging in commerce, and therefore, is not subject to a federal mandate.

  ... Just being alive is not interstate commerce. If it were, there would be no limit to the U.S. Constitution’s commerce clause and to Congress’s authority to regulate everything we do. There has never been a point in our history where the federal government has been given the authority to require citizens to buy goods or services. … The suit will be filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division.

• Typical lies, almost cliche by this point

  The mainstream media story about a few Tea Partiers yelling racial slurs at congressmen was very likely not even true (H/T Dr. Helen). Not that it would be an important story even if it were true, but still.

• But how soon can we get a working transporter?

  Finally…Star Trek style force fields on the way.    Very, very cool... but I'll be even more excited about a transporter or replicator.

• Phelpsians No-Show A Crowd of 500 Counterprotesters

  I just have one word: HA!

  Also: Ha ha ha hahahaha1!!eleventy!!!!

  If I'd known in time that Phelpsians (decidedly NOT Christians) were supposed to be anywhere in the vicinity, I'd have joined the counter-protest too. I don't need to approve of “The Laramie Project” being performed in a public high school in order to despise the Phelps' philosophy and behavior, and I can't condemn them heartily enough.

• Religious Holiday Proclamations

  North Miami Beach's multicultural committee is thinking about limiting religious holiday proclamations to one per religion. My question is, why does any government need to issue a religious holiday proclamation at all? Shouldn't it be the duty of the religious organization to announce their own holidays?

  And while I'm at it, why does any government need a "multicultural committee?"