Does the Constitution outline a right to "be healthy" provided by our Government?

Question

Maybe I missed that part. . .I do not recall seeing that in the Bill of Rights or the additional 17 amendments. . .

Can someone help me out?

I thought Americans should be held accountable. . .are there preventative measures one can take to curb disease/ailments? Just wondering. . .

Answer 1

If you read between the lines, add a liberal flare, and decide that the framers anticipated a society of smoking, drinking, Big Mac Attacks, and widespread drug use, as your right to the pursuit of happiness and that the government is responsible then sure, it's right in there at the top.

Edit: To the people that says it is in there or implied. How come the government of the day, didn't see fit to include mandatory care for small pox, chickenpox, typhoid, diphtheria, pneumonia, and polio, all common illness's of the time. Why no such thing as government involvement in Health care when most of these were epidemics and killed off vast populations of it's people.

Answer 2

No it doesn't appear in the constitution exactly but "promote the general welfare" does.

I believe that allowing people to die because they are poor and cannot afford or have access to health care is morally wrong.

The Institute of Medicine estimates that approximately 18,000 Americans die prematurely each year because they lack health insurance. That's like six 9/11s every year.

Answer 3

I think the Ukrainian Constitution has something along those lines. Or maybe it was the old Consitution of the USSR or DDR. We don't have that in the US Consitution, however. It's not an area of government responsibility. It's an area of personal responsibility, like brushing your teeth and doing what's necessary to take care of your family. In the old days it was what men did.

Answer 4

Spleen.... by your second line I assume you think the government has to give you immortality so you can enjoy all the other benefits.

But by golly they are already making plenty of laws telling you what can be in your food or not, so maybe they are gonna guarantee immortality,

Answer 5

Promote the general welfare is in the preamble. No one deserves to die or suffer because they can't afford to pay the bill.

Answer 6

well it does guarantee the right to "pursue happiness"

its hard to do that if you are dying, in pain, or dead right?

the constitution also doesn't provide for the domestic spying on US citizens, prohibits the suspension of habeus corpus, and doesn't have any provision for a department of homeland security or an air force.

but we have all of those and more. times change. universal health care would have been logistically and realistically unimaginable to the founding fathers. it isn't unrealistic or impossible now.

Answer 7

I looked through my copy and couldn't find it either :D


Above all, however, we must recognize that we may be free and yet miserable. Liberty does not mean all good things or the absence of all evils. It is true that to be free may mean freedom to starve, to make costly mistakes, or to run mortal risk. -Hayek

Answer 8

The constitution doesn't guarantee one's right to kill himself by smoking or to kill others either form the same filthy habit but people do it . The Constitution doesn't guarantee you the right to deny me health care although you don't want it. The Constitution is meant for the good of everyone as is the Declaration of Independence. We have something called life, (healthcare certainly fits here) Liberty (freedom from illness and to have to decide whether to buy medicine or food) and The Persuit of Happiness (to live a happy life free from illness caught in time so one doesn't have to go to an emergency room which they can't afford and is thus paid for by higher costs for everyone else). The Constitution also doesn't cover allowing people to die because they don't have access to quality health care either. It doesn't cover someone's right to be arrogant or stupid but so many people are. Why is it necessary to have every iota of our lives covered in the Constitution. I believe it is one of great power with initials GWB that said the Constitution is just a goddamn piece of paper. So if that is so than why worry about what the Constitution says anyway? Laws are made all the time that are not expressly covered in the Constitution so laws that care about people and their well being need not be specifically covered in the Constitution.

Answer 9

Yep not there.

I think we need to make it mandatory that every American gets Cheeseburgers and Fries as well.

I know somewhere it must say the right to be "full" provided by our government.

My general welfare is dependent on a damn cheeseburger and fries and I want it now.

Answer 10

"Promote the general welfare." That is in there. Health is the number one priority in someone's life and this country needs to insure it's citizens are not DYING or SUFFERING just because they did not have enough money to pay the bill! No one deserves to die or suffer because they can't pay!