Posted on 03/23/2010 6:55:34 AM PDT by Vigilanteman
As the health care bill makes its way to President Obama's desk, the battle has moved on to the Senate, state legislatures, the court system and the campaign trail.
Attorney General Tom Corbett plans to join 10 other attorneys general in suing to overturn the legislation, two Republican state lawmakers have introduced bills that would make it illegal to force people to buy health insurance, and the Senate is girding for a weeklong battle to pass a series of changes to the health care bill Obama is expected to sign today.
"I don't imagine the Republicans are just going to sort of roll over and say, 'OK, we lost,' " said Villanova political science professor Lara Brown.
First up is the Senate. House leaders could only muster enough votes to pass the Senate's health care bill Sunday because they were also passing a set of changes. The changes include more aid for the poor and the elimination of some controversial state-specific deals.
Because of the process used to pass the changes — called reconciliation — Republicans cannot filibuster the bill, but every provision in it must relate to the budget. Republicans will try to sink the bill by objecting to parts they say don't fit that criteria. If the Senate parliamentarian agrees, the provisions get knocked out, and the bill would have to go back to the House, where Republicans can again try to kill it.
Republicans will introduce popular amendments, forcing Democrats to vote against them or change the bill and send it back to the House.
Corbett said Monday he will meet with his counterparts in Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, Michigan, Texas, Utah, Washington, North Dakota, South Dakota and Virginia to draw up a lawsuit to defeat the bill in court.
(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburghlive.com ...
Today, we join the honor roll of such red states as Alabama, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, South Dakota and North Dakota, purple states such as Virginia and Florida and even blue states such as Michigan and Washington in seeking to neuter this monstrosity. Can Freepers in Michigan and Washinton tell what's driving these liberal leaning bastions?
Since I’m very naive as to the ins and outs of America’s politics, my q:
How long will it take at the minimum to neuter the new Health Bill, provided that everything will be smooth sailing?
I am afraid years. But how many years?
I'm not from either state, but from what I've heard this bill contains provisions that will bankrupt the Medicaid programs in many states. I'm sure Michigan and Washington both have generous Medicaid programs that are going to collapse under the weight of these mandates.
Well said....Glad to say we’re on that list!
Maybe not, but you can be assured the DemocRATS will be dancing in the aisles, laughing at us and saying 'OK, we won'
PATHETIC
Why is it I have this sinking feeling that this is all just a diversion to keep everyone busy so they don’t pay attention to the man behind the curtain?
I hope they dance all the way to the election in November, cause they are going to loose their dancing shoes, according to the pundits.
Add Nebraska to the list... Our AG is joining the suit.
If the Republicans take Congress, they cannot override an Obama veto, but they CAN control the funding. Simply don’t fund it!
Cheers! So there is hope...
Washington State has Republican AG Rob McKenna who is quite capable. But his joining the other Attorneys General is bucking the established dem machine in the state.
So it might be an anomaly or might not.
The dem machine in the state is weakened by the recession/depression, they are losing grip slowly as they are cutting services and employees. They want a state income tax, they are in the hole bigtime fiscally. In sum I think an accurate picture is they are so neck deep in alligators they only have a split second to snipe at Rob McKenna.
The makeup of the state is that it is completely red except for one blue island which is King County and this county has a concentrated population with a corrupt elections office that finds sacks of ballots whenever and wherever during elections.
There is a chance that the state can whip the dem machine as they are weakened now. The state GOP has a new chairman and he is stronger than the former.
I think the bottomline on dem machines in blue states is they are in hurt city fiscally and are not getting enough from their political panhandling from Wash DC, and the healthcare vote is spiriting to them but not what they need.
It’s sort of like in 1981 if Ronald Reagan had not cut taxes but had banned homosexual narriage and outlawed burning the flag. Conservatives may have been pleased but want a good economy more.
It's already illegal. The lawmakers have introduced bills to enforce the fact that the federal gubmint forcing people to buy anything and fine them if they don't, is already unconstitutional.
There’s a list somewhere? Unfortunately, my State won’t be joining it until sometime after January 2011.
You are about to see a major red-blue fissure open up in PA over health care.
The State Democratic Committee passed a resolution a few weeks back calling for the implementaiton of Single Payer on a state level. Don’t look for them to support any anti-Obamacare measures.
Also consider that health care (and specifically health insurance companies) are major employers in PA, and the stage is set for a dandy brawl.
Get on the phones, and convince your state officials move on this suit... and to draft legislation to implement state sovereignty laws, NOT resolutions.
The ball is now in the people’s court... We need to belt this one out of the park.
Thus, every policy written in this state has to cover winos and druggies, even company policies for places like where I work which require passing a drug test as a condition of employment.
I would be willing to bet premiums would drop around 40% if the huge Pennsylvania market was opened up to competition without the larded up mandates.
With the large Amish population in this state, I've also got to wonder how they are going to enforce forcing people to buy health insurance without some major backlash.
You are not alone in that assessment.
Immigration and/or right to keep and bear arms may be what’s hiding behind this confetti.
Psst Psst Psst, the birth cert. dumbaxxs!!!
ping
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.