An Individual Mandate For Guns

Helen Whalen Cohen | February 01, 2011 4:50 PM

Yesterday South Dakota lawmakers introduced an individual mandate that will be less savory to liberals. It requires all state citizens who are 21 or over to buy a gun. It kicks in on January 1, 2012 after which South Dakota residents have a six month grace period to purchase a firearm.

Rep. Hal Wick (R-Sioux Falls) told the Argus Leader that he knows the measure will fail, but it's purpose is to make a point about the individual mandate in the health care law.

“Do I or the other cosponsors believe that the State of South Dakota can require citizens to buy firearms? Of course not. But at the same time, we do not believe the federal government can order every citizen to buy health insurance."

Once government requires individuals to buy one product, why wouldn't it stop at another?