Health Care

States Fighting Health Care Law Also Fighting For Health Care Law Grant Money

Brian Beutler | September 1, 2010, 10:37AM

President Barack Obama

Don't underestimate Republicans' desire to stymie or unwind the health care law. But not all of them are as committed to its demise as Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R), who yesterday issued an executive order forbidding his state's officials from applying for grant money from the new law.

It turns out that seven of the states -- Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska and Nevada -- that have applied and been approved for subsidies to cover the cost of caring for retired state government employees are also part of a coalition of more than 20 states suing the federal government over the constitutionality of the health care law's individual mandate, which experts say is critical to the success of the policy. Minnesota's attorney general, Lori Swanson (D), refused to join to Pawlenty's displeasure.

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Idaho

Idaho GOP Approves Far-Right Platform: Repeal 17th Amendment, Buy Gold And Silver

Eric Kleefeld | June 29, 2010, 10:50AM

The logo of the Idaho Republican Party and gold coins.

Idaho Republicans held their convention over the past weekend, approving a platform containing some mighty interesting parts of the Tea Party platform -- from state nullification of federal laws, to protecting the institution of marriage from transgendered people, to to a Glenn-Beckesque embrace of gold and silver money.

State Rep. Marv Hagedorn (R) told the Associated Press that the push to go further right was a product of disgust with the current status quo from the Obama administration. "It does reflect a change," said Hagedorn. "But it's not a change in our party, it's a change in the White House."

The convention's platform calls for a radical overhaul of the federal government. One proposal is a Tea Party favorite, calling for the repeal the 17th Amendment, which provides for the direct election of Senators instead of the original system of them being selected by state legislatures. The platform also calls for the state legislature and governor to "nullify any and all existing and future unconstitutional Federal mandates and laws, funded or unfunded, that infringe on Idaho's Tenth Amendment sovereignty." In addition, the GOP calls for the state of Idaho to take back federally controlled lands.

Then there is the hard-money plank, which might have come right out of a Goldline ad on talk radio: "We believe Idahoans need to protect their savings from the ravages of inflation, which is hidden taxation, and encourage citizens to participate in a systematic acquisition of precious metals which represent real value as opposed to paper currencies."

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