- Sherri Elliot-Yeary
It’s no secret that Republicans are stewing over health care reform and scheming to take it apart. Now, a few states have gone even further, creating bills that challenge the enforcement of the federal law. They are aimed right at the PPACA (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare), and would punish any state or federal official who tries to enforce the law in their state.
For example, a law proposed in Wyoming would impose up to a $5,000 fine and two years of jail on state officials implementing the law. For federal officials, the time goes up to five years.
About five Republican-run states have put forth some sort of legislation either seeking to block or criminalize the health care bill over the past week.
Anyone else think this is a little extreme? Or how about just unconstitutional?
Here’s what one law professor said in NPR’s story on the bills:
This is blatantly, flagrantly unconstitutional. Federal law is supreme to state law and states cannot punish its enforcement. … To my knowledge none of these laws have been enacted, and I trust good sense will prevail in these states.
Hmm. They do the same thing with immigration.
Nullification is alive and well. Damn you John Calhoun
I’m sure this health care thing is going to go over great! Oh, by the way the US is insolvent.
http://www.examiner.com/finance-examiner-i…
Health care is a $2 trillion business. By creating, and reanimating the health care legislation debate, Repubs can feed endlessly at the campaign finance troth. (done with “defense” too). And elephants have a greater feeding capability than donkeys.
Health care legislation will be the Repub zombie for decades!
I don’t know if I agree with this approach if a state’s government disagrees with the federal government’s policy, but that law professor seems clearly wrong. There are areas of law where the federal government has authority and others where the state or local government has authority. States often go to court to figure out where this line is.
Just pass the old Nixon health care plan and the Obama plan is moot.
The feds just have to withold all federal funds and the states will cave. Instead of a fed check just a note “We cannot send federal funds into your state until you topple your state government.” The highway workers, teachers, doctors, and retired will be at the capital with pitchfork the next day.
More resistant states will fall into line after the terrorist attacks.