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Old 03-24-2010, 12:06 AM   #6
TruthWillSetUFree
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Illinois
Posts: 673
Default Re: The “Truth” Is Worse Than Feared - New US Health Care Bill

Fallout from the health care passing. At least some states are wising up


States challenge new healthcare law in court
By Michael Connor, Reuters
2 hours ago


MIAMI — Top legal officials from 14 states across the country on Tuesday filed lawsuits challenging an overhaul of the U.S.' $2.5 trillion healthcare system, minutes after President Barack Obama signed the landmark legislation.

One joint lawsuit by a dozen Republican attorneys general and a Democrat claims the sweeping reforms violate state-government rights in the U.S. Constitution and will force massive new spending on hard-pressed state governments.

Virginia went to court separately, while Missouri Republican Lieutenant Gov. Peter Kinder said he would like to join the suit.

The joint suit, led by Florida, was filed with a federal court in Pensacola, according to the office of Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum.

The lawsuit says the law -- which expands government health plans for the poor, imposes new taxes on the wealthy and requires insurers to cover people with preexisting medical conditions -- violates the Constitution's commerce clause by requiring nearly all Americans to buy health insurance.

"It forces people to do something -- in the sense of buying a healthcare policy or paying a penalty, a tax or a fine -- that simply the Constitution does not allow Congress to do," McCollum said at a news conference in Tallahassee.

McCollum, who is seeking the Republican nomination to run for Florida governor, said the healthcare reforms would add $1.6 billion to Florida's spending on the Medicaid health program for the poor.

The Justice Department, which is responsible for defending U.S. law in court, pledged to vigorously fight any challenges to the new healthcare law.

"We are confident that this statute is constitutional and we will prevail," said Justice spokesman Charles Miller.

The White House agreed the suits would fail.

(of course the White House would say that)

Story continues here

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news...THCARE-STATES/
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