August 25, 2010 9:57AM 

# Making a Joke of Human Rights 

By [Michael F. Cannon](https://www.cato.org/people/michael-f-cannon) 

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Earlier this year, Nobel Peace Prize [winner](http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2009/) Barack Obama signed [legislation](https://www.cato.org/pubs/wtpapers/BadMedicineWP.pdf) that threatens U.S. residents [with](http://www.politico.com/arena/perm/Michael_F__Cannon_2038C9EC-17E3-482D-878D-46F2E7B5A59F.html) [prison](http://www.politico.com/livepulse/0909/Ensign_receives_handwritten_confirmation_.html) if they fail to purchase health insurance.

This week, his administration [told](http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/aug/24/us-human-rights-report-hails-obama-practices/print/) the United Nations that this legislation shows the United States is making progress on human rights.

##### Related Tags 

[Government and Politics](https://www.cato.org/government-politics), [Health Care](https://www.cato.org/health-care), [Constitutional Law](https://www.cato.org/constitutional-law), [Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies](https://www.cato.org/robert-levy-center-constitutional-studies) 

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