Much of the argument on the ACA should turn on the original meaning
of the qualifying phrase in the Necessary and Proper Clause. Here is
an outline.
THE ORIGINAL MEANING OF "CARRYING INTO
EXECUTION"
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DELEGATION OF POWER
IS AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE AN OFFICIAL ACT
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Lawmaking power
has two parts.
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To enact a
statute and publish it.
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To authorize
an executive agent to enforce the statute.
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Only
application to oneself or discharge of official
duties can be continual.
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For
most enforcers, “execution” occurs only during
specific acts of enforcement.
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To
be continual the enforcer must be able to
enforce even when asleep.
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Application
to subordinates or private parties is discrete,
with a beginning and an end, although it may be an
overlapping series.
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COMPLIANCE BY
NON-GOVERNMENT ACTORS AND OUTCOMES ARE NOT PART OF EXECUTION
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Established
usage in 1787 did not call compliance by non-officials
“execution” of a law.
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Established
usage in 1787 did not call outcomes beyond the duties of
an official “execution”.
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“NECESSARY” MEANS
WHAT MUST BE DONE FOR SOMETHING ELSE TO BE DONE
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“PROPER” MEANS FOR A
LEGITIMATE PUBLIC PURPOSE, REASONABLE, AND JUST
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“CARRYING” MEANS
MAKING AN EFFORT
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“EXECUTION” MEANS AN
ENFORCEMENT EFFORT
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It is
performance of an official enforcement act.
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Only
interference with an enforcement act would bring private
action within the scope of what is necessary and proper.
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Private action
outside of official enforcement action is not within the
scope.
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“POWERS” ONLY THOSE
VESTED IN U.S. GOVERNMENT ACTORS, NOT PRIVATE PERSONS
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Compliance with
statutes by private persons is not “execution”.
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The results of
compliance by private persons is not “execution”.
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Private persons
cannot be made government actors other than through
militia call-up, without their consent.
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A power to
command private persons to enforce statutes is found only
in the Militia Clauses, and that is only when called up as
militia, not between emergencies.
-
Purchase of
health insurance is not defense activity, or militia, and
therefore cannot be commanded by statute or officials
enforcing statutes.
-
THE RESTRICTIVE
PHRASE “CARRYING INTO EXECUTION” HAS NEVER BEEN RESOLVED BY
THIS COURT
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The phrase was
not argued or decided in the cases beginning with
McCulloch v. Maryland.
-
Without such
argument, the Court presumed “necessary and proper” was
for the purposes of the lawmakers, whatever those might
be.
-
But U.S. Const.
Art. I Sec. 8 Cl. 18 does not state “for the purposes of
Congress”, but the much more restrictive phrase “for
carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all
other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government
of the United States, or in any Department or Officer
thereof.”
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THERE IS NO VESTED
POWER FOR WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE CAN BE NECESSARY AND
PROPER
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Medical
insurance is not “commerce” subject to federal regulation.
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The individual
mandate cannot be necessary and proper to performance of
an official enforcement act.
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INDIVIDUAL MANDATE
MAY BE CONSTITUTIONAL FOR SOME
-
For United
States officials, agents, employees, and contractors.
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For persons
residing in federal enclaves created under U.S. Const.
Art. I Sec. 8 Cl. 17, but only if they are represented in
Congress, if it is deemed a “tax”.
-
It is not
constitutional for all others, and the Court should so
hold.
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