[congressman]

I always get a nice laugh out of people who declare that 'healthcare is a right'. Or an 'education is a right'. These are services. Not rights. Anytime you declare that recieving a service is a right, then you also give the government the power to force someone to provide it. Its simple logic.. if we think that healthcare is a right, and yet doctors no longer want to practice.. then they musted be forced to provide their service, or its no long actually a "right".

Also, since we're on the topic of rights. Can someone tell me where our "right to vote" is located in the constitution? I'll wait. :eyeroll:

[Uncle Fester]

Also, since we're on the topic of rights. Can someone tell me where our "right to vote" is located in the constitution? I'll wait. :eyeroll:

Technically yes, but....

....it does say that Represenatives and Senators should be elected by "the people"

And, the people have been expanded by Amendments several times (women, African Americans, etc)

[congressman]

Technically yes, but....

....it does say that Represenatives and Senators should be elected by "the people"

And, the people have been expanded by Amendments several times (women, African Americans, etc)

Well, although it says 'the people'. It does not give you the right to vote. States are free to limit the voting populace. The amendments of the constitution that expand 'the people' don't actually do that per se. A state is free to set its own rules/laws on voter requirements, provided that they don't don't violate the amendments that give certain individuals more protections. Basically, what the constitution does in these cases, for those who don't understand.. is make rules about what things CAN NOT be required. Because of the womens suffrage amendment, women can vote and cannot be discriminated against because of gender. But just because you're a female, doesn't give you the RIGHT to vote. The age amendment gives 18 y/o and older citizens the promise of not being discriminated against because of age. States are free to expand the voting age group, and some have (and may still do) allowed 16 year olds to vote. The African American amendment promises that they will NOT be denied the chance to vote on the sole basis of race. After it passed, states got creative and started raising the poll tax, to the point where most blacks were not able to vote. This was changed by the poll tax amendment. See, 'the people' CAN vote, if they meet certain requirements. But being a male, or race other than black is no longer allowed to be a requirement. Some states have restricted citizens from voting because of prior felonies, mental issues, and unpaid taxes.

A state has the liberty to restrict and deny its citizens to vote, but must do so using requirements other than those that would make it unconstitutional because of the amendments to the constitution.