Is that what you learned in "civics class"?
Here is what I learned in the real world. In our democracy, people run for public office pledging to represent the will of the people. That's why elected representatives continually meet with constituents, to get the constituents' opinions. That's why elected representatives have staff members who are continually meeting with members of the public and trying to address concerns raised by the public. Any good elected representative pays attention to what his or her community is talking about and what his or her community wants. That's why opinion polls, although not determinative, are far from "irrelevant."
But they might not teach you that in "civics class."
Nowhere in the Constitution is any of the above stipulated. Indeed, you won't find a single reference that suggests that members are bound to consult with their constituents or do anything other than vote their conscience. Of course, it's likely that if they don't (at least partially) reflect their constituents' views and opinions to some degree they won't win reelection, but that's not the same thing as what you're describing. Neither are the promises they make during the campaign binding in any way, shape or form. Of course, if they don't live up to them, the people will judge them accordingly. Or at least, we hope they will.
The founders' intentions, as reflected in the Federalist papers, are clear. Madison wrote that in our form of government the representatives were "a chosen body of citizens" who, acting as trustees, would use their "wisdom" to "best discern the true interest of their country and whose patriotism and love of justice will be least likely to sacrifice it to temporary or partial considerations.
Under such a regulation it may well happen that the public voice, pronounced by the representatives of the people, will be more consonant to the public good than if pronounced by the people themselves, convened for the same purpose."
Now, you will forgive me if I take James Madison's word over yours as to the nature of our government and the role that our Founding Fathers envisioned for our Representatives.
Our representatives ( see what I did there ) are elected to office to represent (there is that word again) their constituents. So your premise that the above mentioned representatives are sent to DC to use "their" judgement is ludicrous. They are sent to DC to represent not do whatever they feel like. Perhaps you would rather it called a constitutional republic? Whatever the case the states have every right to tell the federal government to go pound sand. I can't seem to find the clause in the constitution where it explicitly says health care is a right. furthermore, where did the federal government get the power to tax/fine you for inactivity?
As to the question of whether we elect Representstives to use their judgement or to be mere mouthpieces of the public opinion in their district, see the above quote from Madison from The Federalist No. 10. His words carry a lot more weight with me than your silly reply. No offense...
As to your question about the Constitutional authorization, I don't think the government had the constitutional authority to pass the law they did pass, but the Supreme Court disagreed with a rather elaborate ruling. Perhaps I agree with this ruling or perhaps I disagree – either way, that's irrelevant.
Remember, the Supreme Court, the arbiter of whether a law is Constitutional or not, has reached a decision and I respect the Court and the Constitution enough to accept the decision, whether I agree with it or not.
As to whether the States can tell the government to pound sand, it's true that they can in some contexts, although with the increasingly expanding scope of the Interstate Commerce clause those contexts are now few and far between.
Congress passed some legislation, which was challenged and upheld. The legislation is now the law of the land now and is binding on the states since State law
cannot preempt Federal law. This is a well-established principle, in place since the early days of our Republic and firmly grounded in our Constitution.
But thanks for playing.
