Today a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals of the 11th Circuit is hearing oral arguments about the constitutionality of the federal health care bill signed into law by President Obama. Florida has joined 25 other states and the National Federation of Independent Business in filing a lawsuit arguing that the individual mandate is unconstitutional.

Just now on television I heard a supporter of the lawsuit arguing, “The issue goes beyond health care. If Congress can force people to buy a product, what can’t they do?” A big part of the debate is whether the failure to purchase health insurance is an activity, and thus something that could possibly be considered “commerce” that can be regulated by Congress under the Constitution.