Panel OKs bill letting Utah opt out of health reform

The Salt Lake Tribune ^ | 2/2/2010 | Robert Gehrke

[Crichton]

Fueled by a deep mistrust of the federal government and Tea Party fervor, a House committee approved a bill Tuesday aimed at enabling Utah to opt out of national health-reform efforts.

....

Mike Lee, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, said the legislation empowers the states to decide who should enact health reform, rather than letting the federal government "commandeer" the Legislature's authority.

"The state is a sovereign. It's not the lapdog of the federal government," Lee said, an attorney, who said he believes such a law would withstand legal challenge.

[Crichton]

Mike Lee is one of several candidates challenging incumbent Senator Bob Bennett at the state convention. If no candidate gets 60% support, the top two candidates face off in a primary.

http://www.mikelee2010.com/

[Tzimisce]

You're still going to have to pay the taxes for Obamacare.

[TribalPrincess2U]

But Judi Hillman, executive director of the Utah Health Policy Project, called it an "irresponsible and very destructive bill" that could cost the state all of the Medicaid money it receives from the federal government. "When you lose all of your Medicaid dollars, you will see a complete unraveling of our health care safety net," she said. "We're playing with fire here." Despite any potential fallout, Wimmer said, it's time for Utah to take a stand.

I'll vote for the person who does this in Texas.

[fightinJAG]

Well, let’s be sure to always look on the bright side. ;)

Seriously. You are probably correct. But on the other hand, this is a great development. If we restore the original vision of federalism, we will make a huge leap forward in preserving our liberty -— and our prosperity.

The Virginia Senate just passed a similar law prohibiting any individual mandates to purchase health insurance.

[Vigilanteman]

Texas, Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada, Montana, North and South Dakota, New Mexico, Colorado and eventually the rest of the country, minus perhaps the left coast, New York and New England. A showdown with the ruling class is coming.

[GailA]

Socialized Med Thread

[AlexW]

If one or more states can opt out, should not all states be able to opt out, maybe by referendum ?

[ak267]

I thought I’d heard Nebraska is proposing something similar as well.

[Tzimisce]

They’re not going to let you out of paying your “fair share”.

That’s not how the Socialist bus rolls.

[sergeantdave]

States will refuse to send in federal receipts.

Problem solved.

[fightinJAG]

As Margaret Thatcher said, “The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.”

[Monorprise]

A lot of States are doing this, there is a Fever underway, and a lot of us don’t care if the federal court should try side with their Federal appointers.

Our freedom is not negotiable. They have no right to require we buy anything simply because were living. We did not form or consent to membership in this union so that 51% of the population could enslave the remaining 49%.

Government does not exist to usurp our individual liberty but to protect that liberty from others including but not limited itself.