Republican attorneys general from 13 states are suing the federal government to stop the massive health care overhaul, claiming it’s unconstitutional.
The lawsuit was filed immediately after President Barack Obama signed the overhaul bill Tuesday. It names the U.S. departments of Health and Human Services, Treasury and Labor.
Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum is taking the lead in the lawsuit. Attorneys general from South Carolina, Nebraska, Texas, Michigan, Utah, Pennsylvania, Alabama, South Dakota, Louisiana, Idaho, Washington and Colorado are joining in. Other GOP attorneys general may join the lawsuit later or sue separately.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Pensacola.
ObamaPelosi can lie all they want to about how much Obamacare will cost the taxpayers, but overlooked in all the media attention are the unfunded mandates on the states. States will have to come up with billions of dollars they don’t have to comply with the law. And unlike the feds, states can’t just print more money.
UPDATE: More here.
UPDATE: The AG from Looooosiana is a Democrat, so once again, opposition to Obamacare is bipartisan. (Not a single Republican voted for it, remember?)
UPDATE: Press release from Texas AG Greg Abbott plus a .pdf of the suit here.
Not only that, but here’s a partial quote from U.S. Rep. Charles Melancon, D-La., Third Congressional District. explaining his “No” vote on the bill:
From the Lake Charles American Press –
“Providing affordable health insurance options to the millions of Americans now living without coverage is critically important. But I cannot support a plan that raises taxes for the majority of Americans who currently have health insurance, while doing little to lower their premiums or reduce their out-of-pocket health care costs. Meaningful reform would make health care more affordable for everyone — both people with insurance and those without.”
That gives me continued hope for the good people of my home state. I may even move back home someday.