The most objectionable aspect of Obamacare is the mandate that individuals must purchase health insurance or face fines. Several states have announced lawsuits against the federal government seeking to overturn this portion of the law by claiming that the government has no authority to compel individuals to purchase anything from private companies.
While overturning the mandate seems like a worthy and noble goal, it actually plays into the hands of Obamacare supporters. Those in favor of Obamacare want this provision of the law to be deemed unconstitutional.
Why does Obama want the mandate thrown out? To answer these questions, we have to understand two items: 1) Obama's true objective, and 2) The new healthcare system without the mandate.
The Objective of Obamacare
The president and others have made little secret that they favor a "single payer" (i.e.: government provided) health insurance system. They view the existing Obamacare as a stepping-stone along the path to a fully socialized medical system. They are hopeful that once the American public comes to accept extensive government regulation of healthcare, they will then accept even more direct government control over it. In this, they are willing to take the long view. They realize that while Americans are too opposed to socialized medicine to accept this system today, they believe Americans will accept it in a generation or two.
Obama has done, and will do, almost anything to further
What if the Mandate is Found Unconstitutional?
A rational person who is not compelled to purchase insurance, but who can do so "retroactively", will only purchase insurance after they get sick and need it. This is happening already in
Insurance, of course, is a method of distributing risk. We pay a small premium to an insurance company so that we can avoid the high cost of a medical care if we get sick.
The insurance companies will quickly go broke if they are forced to pay for health claims for sick people, but are not given the income stream of premiums from healthy people.
What happens if the insurance companies go broke and stop selling policies? The answer is very simple: The government will have to step in and take over as the insurer of last resort. If this happens, Obamacare supporters will have achieved their ultimate objective of socialized medicine.
While You Were Busy....
Working to overturn the mandate to purchase insurance is a worthy goal, but opponents of Obamacare have to keep their eye on the bigger goal. We have to eliminate government interference in our daily lives and enhance the "invisible hand" of open and free markets.
Do not be fooled into celebrating victory over Obamacare if the Supreme Court throws out the mandate. Our goal has to be full repeal of the existing legislation.
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