Lincoln Displays Her Constitutional Saavy

Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas was asked by CNSNews where in the Constitution the Federal Government has the authority to mandate that individuals purchase health insurance that meets the Federal governments standards. Her answer was completely wrong, but at least she answered. She did not sneer, like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi did, that "it was not a serious question." She did not evade the question, like even the Republican candidates who would oppose her evaded publicly answering questions about what it means to keep the oath to defend the Constitution.

She answered it, but her answer was embarrassingly wrong. She said the Constitution “charges Congress with the health and well-being of the people.” As CNSNews pointed out, neither "health" nor "well-being" ever appear in the document.

Obviously, her take on the document would give Congress a "blank check" to do anything that they felt was for our "well-being." That view subverts the whole intent of the Constitution as a document which limits the power of government, especially the central government. As founder Daniel Webster put it, "Good intentions will always be pleaded for any assumption of power. The Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern, They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters.."



Blanche Lincoln does not understand the Co