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  • 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.