What if Congress mandated that you buy a gun?

Ezra Klein: Congress has forced Americans to buy guns. It’s in the Militia Acts of 1792.

I'm sure that would be fine with my Tea party friends today.

Incidentally, that’s not the only time an early congress mandated that Americans purchase privately sold products:

 In 1790, the very first Congress—which incidentally included 20 framers—passed a law that included a mandate: namely, a requirement that ship owners buy medical insurance for their seamen. This law was then signed by another framer: President George Washington. That’s right, the father of our country had no difficulty imposing a health insurance mandate

Steve Benen:   I suppose Republicans might argue that George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson didn't understand what the Founding Fathers wanted