To Be an Actual "Mandate" There Must Be a Consequence for Non-compliance

Hillary Clinton appeared Sunday on ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Sen. Clinton performed some interesting verbal contortions when Mr. Stephanopoulos cited questions raised by Barack Obama as to how she would enforce her universal health insurance mandate. Sen. Obama reasons that if every American is required to have insurance (whether they want to pay for it or not), then there must be some mechanism for enforcing this kind of requirement. Thus, the question arises as to what penalties Sen. Clinton might impose to rein in wayward non-purchasers.

Americans might not be terribly relieved to learn that Sen. Clinton promises that there will not be any fines. She will merely garnish your wages.

In fact, any nationalization of health care coverage necessarily involves a loss of personal freedom as the price paid for increased security. Sen. Clinton will not tell you that. The Oracle just did.