Interesting: Institute for Justice files amicus brief to the Supreme Court that Obamacare violates contract law

This is an interesting argument against the Obamacare mandate. Signing any contract under duress invalidates that contract. In the case of Obamacare, the duress is threat of penalties from the government. Here is a link to the IJ amicus brief.




Via Youtube:

If government-mandated health insurance is upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court after the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) case is argued in March 2012, the Institute for Justice warns in its amicus brief that there will be dire and predictable threats to individual liberty and voluntary relations that have been the foundation of American contract law for centuries.

Constitutional law professor Elizabeth Price Foley, who is the executive director of the Institute's Florida Chapter and who co-authored IJ's brief, said, "The individual mandate violates a cardinal rule of contract law—to be enforceable, all agreements must be voluntary. The Framers understood this, and would never have given the federal government the power to force individuals into lifelong contracts of insurance. The Court should not allow the government to exercise this unprecedented and dangerous power."

As IJ's brief shows, the principle of mutual assent, under which both parties must consent for a contract to be valid, is a fundamental principle of contract law that was well understood during the Founding era and is still a cornerstone of contract law today. Indeed, contracts entered under duress have long been held to be invalid. Yet the mandate forces individuals to enter into contracts of insurance that would never be valid under this longstanding principle. (For a copy of IJ's brief, visit: www.ij.org/PPACAbrief.) Read more here...

Defeated Demo Iowa Gov. Culver Gets Even With Voters

He approved a union contract for some state employees without even negotiating. Gov. Culver accepted the first offer from the AFSCME. Culver lost by 10% November 2nd to former Republican Governor Terry Branstad. Gov. Culver's payback will cost Iowans over $100 million in the first year.

13WHOTV-Iowa union workers will see multiple pay raises over the next two years under a contract proposal approved by Governor Culver.

In a rare move Governor Culver accepted AFSCME's contract proposal as submitted and with no negotiation.

Oh My! Obama Gives half a billion "no bid" contract to Halliburton subsidiary!

Candidate Obama had this to say about 'no bid' contracts:

As a candidate for president in 2008, then-Sen. Obama frequently derided the Bush administration for the awarding of federal contracts without competitive bidding.

"I will finally end the abuse of no-bid contracts once and for all," the senator told a Grand Rapids audience on Oct. 2. "The days of sweetheart deals for Halliburton will be over when I'm in the White House."

Uh, not really. Obama is awarding a $568 million 'no bid' contract to Halliburton subsidiary KBR Inc.

Obama Promised to End No Bid Contracts Unless You Are a Big Democratic Donor

Candidate Barack Obama in 2008:

"I will finally end the abuse of no-bid contracts once and for all," the senator told a Grand Rapids audience on Oct. 2. "The days of sweetheart deals for Halliburton will be over when I'm in the White House."

Of course, the election is what is over. FOX News has learned the Obama administration awarded a $25 million contract this month to a big Democratic campaign contributor without competitive bids.

Despite President Obama’s long history of criticizing the Bush administration for “sweetheart deals” with favored contractors, the Obama administration this month awarded a $25 million federal contract for work in Afghanistan to a company owned by a Democratic campaign contributor without entertaining competitive bids, Fox News has learned.

Greedy UAW Workers Reject Ford Contract

Ford is the only American auto manufacturer that didn't have to take bailout money. The reasons are better management and a large loan secured before credit dried up. The UAW gave concessions to GM and Chrysler as part of the bailout reorganization. Ford was seeking parity in their contract with the UAW. Union members rejected their own leaderships advice and rejected the modified contract. Now, Ford will be at a competitive disadvantage for the next two years. This points back to one of the main causes of GM and Chrysler needing a taxpayer bailout. UAW members vote for greed above common sense.

From Yahoo News:

Ford Motor Co. workers have overwhelmingly rejected contract changes that would have allowed the automaker to cut labor costs, leaving Ford at a disadvantage to its Detroit rivals as it continues its struggle to return to profitability.

The United Auto Workers union had given local unions until Monday to complete voting. But a person briefed on the voting said Saturday that the contract changes have been rejected by large margins. The person asked not to be named because the UAW hasn’t announced the results yet.