This is probably a stupid question

[Eric Condon]

and it's probably been discussed elsewhere, and if it has, I apologize.

I was talking about HC"R" with a friend of mine the other day and we happened upon an interesting question: has there ever been an instance in American history where citizens were required, by law, to buy a product from private companies? As far as I know, this is unprecedented. Does anyone know of anything, ever, that has been remotely comparable to this?

I'm not talking about the quality of the bill itself, or anything like that. This is a simple question about how much power the government should have to force people to become customers of private industries. How can this be regulated?

Any ideas?

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. You have to buy insurance for vehicles and homes that are

financed. You simply have no say in it.

[Eric Condon]

6. Yeah, but there's no law that you have to own a vehicle or a home. nt

[timeforpeace]

12. Plus the car insurance law is intended to protect the person you hit, as the apologists well know.

[virgogal]

2. Helmet laws,baby car seats etc. All required by law in many states.

Also smoke detectors.

[Eric Condon]

7. But these are also not required. You're not required to have a child (car seats), and if you do have

one, you're still not required to have a car. You're also not required to operate any vehicle that would necessitate a helmet. As for smoke detectors, that would fall under the fact that you're not required to own a home, right? If you rent, the smoke detectors are the landlord's responsibility, or at least that's what I thought.

[HuckleB]

8. There's a religious exemption for the health care bill, but none for those, so, hmmmmmmmm.

[Motown_Johnny]

10. are you saying that Quakers need to buy car seats or motorcycle helmets?

Hmmmmmm......

[HuckleB]

11. No.

[virgogal]

14. All your points are correct,of course. I was just trying to point

out that enaction of some laws often leads to profit for private businesses.

[Avalux]

3. Do you buy car insurance?

If I don't have car insurance, I can't get my car inspected or get my registration renewed and I'd go to jail if I hit someone.

The difference between the two?

I don't have to drive and then I won't have to buy car insurance. With health insurance, there would be no choice.

[Orrex]

4. Some states require the purchase of car insurance

Sure, it's not mandatory in the sense that you don't have to buy it if you don't own and drive a car, but in many regions without good public transport, the difference is academic.

[beyurslf]

5. Car insurance, home owner's insurance but both are state level. Flood insurance is nationally

required if you are in a flood zone.

[Motown_Johnny]

9. Unlike the other posters... I would say No, this is unprecedented.

FIrst of all this is a Federal law, not a state one. Second, you only need to buy car insurance if you own a car or buy a motorcycle helmet if you ride a motorcycle, many people do neither. Renters don't need to buy homeowners insurance (directly, their landlord would have it and the renter would be paying for it, in theory). I will assume smoke detectors fall into the same category, the landlords would be responsible for them but it would be rolled into the rent.

This mandate applies to everyone directly.


So, for my part.... NO!!! This has never been done before.

[Raine]

13. Agree nt

[BeFree]

15. Hmmm, no

Truancy laws come close, but no.

So, this will be unconstitutional?

What if the government provides the insurance? Would that be constitutional?
Probably yes, since the government is allowed to coerce and demand from everybody certain things. But from private companies. No.

Good question.