The 50 million is a bogus number because it includes illegals and young people who chose not to buy insurance. "Just a quick look inside the Census Bureau data shows that 9.7 million of the uninsured are not citizens of the United States." "The Census figures also show that 18.3 million of the uninsured were under 34. Some in this age group may have simply determined that they are young and healthy and thus can do without coverage." "In 2003, a BlueCross BlueShield Association study estimated that about 14 million of the uninsured were eligible for Medicaid and SCHIP. These people would be signed up for government insurance if they ever made it to the emergency room." "In addition, some of the 46 million could theoretically afford health coverage, but chose not to purchase any. In 2007, 17.6 million of the uninsured had annual incomes of more than $50,000 and 9.1 million earned more than $75,000. In fact, as Sally Pipes notes in the Top Ten Myths of American Health Care: A Citizen's Guide, those making more than $75,000 per year are part of the fastest growing segment of the uninsured population." http://spectator.org/archives/2009/03/20/the-myth-of-the-46-million
Regarding Health Care: "Seven presidents tried to change the costly health-care system, which offers state-of-the-art care to those who can pay, but has left 47 million people without coverage and facing financial ruin if they get sick or have an accident." and "In a 60-39 vote, the Senate endorsed a bill to bring subsidised coverage to 30 million Americans who have none, as well as ending the practice of insurers being able to refuse to pay if an illness was a pre-existing condition. It will also curb growing health-care costs due to expensive tests, overservicing and a lack of competition in insurance in some states. The US spends 16 per cent of its gross domestic product on health care - compared with 9 per cent in Australia - a cost expected to reach 25 per cent without reform, still without providing universal coverage." http://www.theage.com.au/world/obama-hails-senate-health-care-vote-20091225-lf0j.html
Propaganda. The number of people in the US who are a) citizens and b) can't afford healthcare and don't have it is less than 15 million. We could give healthcare to those 15 million people with far less cost than this $1T+ unfunded bill, and without breaking the constitution and imposing mandates, which is a clear violation of Congressional powers. Congress does not have the power to compel citizens to engage in commerce no matter what the rational. If they want to add to the insured pool legally, they can tax everyone, and get around the constitutional issues of mandates. But they don't have the balls to do this. This mandate will not pass SCOTUS when challenged.