And There Grew Up a Generation that Knew not Reagon

It's awkward trying to explain my generations infatuation with Ronald Reagon to the younger libertarians.  How can you love this man?  He increased the national debt, prosecuted the drug war, increased military spending, provoked international incidents, and involved us in foreign adventurism.  Sounds a lot like Bush 43, right?

I admit Reagon is somewhat awkward to explain for a libertarian.   To fully understand it you need an appreciation of America in the 70s.  It was the time of the Iranian hostage crisis, the oil embargo, high gas prices, high unemployment, double digit inflation, and the constant expansion of global communism.  It was a time when most believed the American was in decline....  then came Reagon.

Right after he won the election the Iranians released the hostages.  Within his first term unemployment and inflation dropped.  He went to Berlin to told the Soviets to "tear down this wall."  Although the Soviets weren't listening the East Berliners were.  He engaged in warfare against the Sovite economy by starting an arms race that bankrupted them.

Many believe, including myself, that had Jimmy Carter won the election in 1980, we still would have a Sovite Union today.  Reagon was no libertarian however he created the climate in which libertarian ideas could flourish.

The Insurance Mandate and Generation Warfare

Justice Roberts, in his decision, points out that the heathcare mandate is a tax on the young to subsidize the elderly.  The young, being at low risk of major health issues, may correctly decide to forgo health insurance in favor of other economic activity such as buying a first house, starting a family, etc.   By forcing legions of the young to purchase insurance at costs far exceeding their risk class, the elderly have their health cost reduced.

As the mean age of the population continues to increase so will healthcare costs as a multiple of GDP.  This will shifts ever escalating burden to our young.  Do we really wish to ask them to forgo some liberty and some pursuit of happiness so that those who have already pursued their happiness can have a final surgery that allows them to gasp for a few months longer from an oxygen mask?

Currently the elderly decide whether to use their own money to chase diminishing returns or perhaps to put a grandchild through college, take a last exotic trip, or support some cause in which they fervently believe.  Now, with someone else footing the bill, the decision is fairly easy.

Placing a Price on Religious Liberty

Let me begin this article by stating I find Catholicism's prohibition on birth control nuts. I find it extremely inconsistent with their position against abortion. Encouraging use of birth control reduces abortions. Their current policy is counterproductive. That being said this is a long-standing, sincerely held, position of Roman Catholic Church. When the Obama administrations requires that all employer-based health plans include contraception it is sacrificing religious liberty upon the altar of public policy.

In case anyone has forgotten let me remind you that the First Amendment of the Constitution states "Congress shall pass no law establishing religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" What Pres. Obama, via regulatory decree, is attempt to interfere with said free exercise. Not only is he interfering with it, he is placed a price tag on what he thinks religious liberty is worth; four dollars. Four dollars is what you can buy a month supply generic birth control for at Walmart without insurance.

A legitimate public policy debate on the merits of birth control would be valid if it were not ubiquitously available to everyone. The fact it is universally available only leaves the question of who's going to pay. The president wishes to force private employers to pay. This begs the question from where does he think he gets the authority to make such a dictate? The 10th amendment of the Constitution limits the authority of the federal government to that which is expressly granted within the Constitution and to the regulation of interstate commerce. As far as I can tell the Constitution nowhere addresses healthcare, insurance, or private employers.
Obamacare is a complete usurpation of authority by the Federal government.

What needs to be done?

First, Obamacare should be repealed in its entirety. Regulation of health care, where appropriate, should be provided by the states. We've got to stop this one-size-fits-all regulatory mentality; return authority to the states; and be the laboratories of democracy to which Tocqueville celebrated.