ATLANTA - Georgia waded into the polarizing debate over health care reform today as the Republican-controlled House rejected a constitutional amendment that would have allowed the state's residents to opt out of federal health mandates in a sweeping bill approved by Congress.
Gov. Sonny Perdue, meanwhile, blasted the federal health legislation as a "colossal unfunded mandate" and said his office was investigating "any and all legal options to challenge" the Democratic-backed measure.
Perdue said it would force an additional billion dollars of Medicaid spending per year and harm small businesses by extending the Medicare tax.
On Sunday night, the U.S. House approved legislation that would extend insurance coverage to 32 million uninsured and pave the way for near-universal medical coverage.
The Georgia House on Monday spent more than two hours debating a a resolution designed to prevent the federal government from mandating the purchase of health insurance in the state, even though legal experts said it would have likely have little affect on the federal law.
Supporters of the Georgia measure said the federal bill trampled state and individual rights
"Why should the federal government force me to buy a product? If I don't want to buy it I shouldn't have to buy it," said state Rep. Jeff May, a Monroe Republican. "Nowhere in the constitution are you entitled to health care."
Democrats argued the federal health reform bill - the cornerstone of President Barack Obama's domestic agenda - would expand health care to millions of uninsured.
"This is a life or death issue. If you don't have it you die," said state Rep. Winifred Dukes, an Albany Democrat.
The resolution was sponsored by state Rep. Calvin Hill, a Canton Republican, who said Georgia legislators needed to protect citizens of the state "from the long arm of the IRS."
But Calvin Smyre, a top-ranking House Democrat, said the bill was little more than "pure politics as its highest."
"Here we are starting the election before we can get out of here as a body," the Columbus Democrat said.
The 111-61 vote fell short of the needed two-thirds majority, or 120 votes, to amend the state constitution.
Legal experts said it would have had little power because federal law would trump any state law, even a change to the state constitution.
"It's a lot of political grandstanding," said Fazal Kahn, a health care law professor at the University of Georgia Law School. "Clearly this fits within the authority of Congress' commerce clause."
A similar constitutional amendment failed in the Senate last week. But the chamber did muster enough votes to pass a regular bill.
Early Monday, a few dozen tea party activists gathered at the Georgia Capitol to protest the federal bill that passed the U.S. House with no GOP support.
"This is a states right issue, not just a healthcare issue," Virginia Galloway, head of Americans for Prosperity Georgia, an anti-tax group.
Julianne Thompson, of Tea Party Patriots Georgia, assailed the "arrogance coming out of Washington."
The GOP rammed everything down our throats but wants to obstruct everything the ruling Party is putting forth. The ZERO GOP vote tally speaks volumes and will come back to bite em.
To answer the question “Where else does the government force you to buy something?”
1. Auto Insurance. Some try to make the case that one does not have to buy this insurance if one doesn’t drive. True, but just as a driver needs auto insurance, any person who is ‘living in America’ needs health insurance. In this case driving=living. No doctor or hospital are allowed to leave an injured person untended for. So when a young healthy person has an illness or accident they will be treated, by law, even they themselves are not allowed to tell the doctor ‘Just let me die’ that is not legal.
So, in a sense people already have a form if health insurance and this bill is just forcing everyone to help pay for what they already have.
2. We are also all forced to pay federal and state taxes and property taxes. In doing this we are being forced to pay for Roads, Airports, Schools, Police protection our Military etc.
I don’t have children in school, but I help pay for others, I was morally outraged by the wars against Iraq and Vietnam, but I was forced to help pay for them even as I protested them.
It’s called being an American Citizen. That’s my America and your America and I love it, for better and worse.
This is America. There are no ruling parties. That being said we do seem to have more goobers than anyone needs.
Will come back to bite them very soon. November to be exact!
Absolutley ridiculous...let me get this straight. This broke tail state is spending money and time on what. Trying to sue the Federal Government for a law? You better be doing it on your own time and not the tax payers time. You are suppose to be working on a budget for this state and the shortfall and you better not ask for us to vote on nothing either, because we can't afford it. Somebody(s) didn't take their anxiety pill.
Please Note: It is Unconstitutional for the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT to force an individual citizen of the United States of America to BUY, OR NOT BUY, ANYTHING. The State Government can make laws concerning that State's Citizens. Paying taxes to the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT is NOT buying a service or product. State Laws mandating the purchase of Auto Insurance, and Workers Compenstion Insurance are allowed by the States only for that particular State.
For Example: That is why you have to buy a Driver's License in all 50 States.
Moreover, the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CANNOT penalize an individual of the United States of America for NOT buying a service or product as this Health Care Bill does.
NOW LET THE DEBATE BEGIN: BUT LET'S ALL PLAY BY THE RULES!
If you look at it all, they government forces us to do a lot of things,car insurance,taxes.on everything,in my opinion,they government dont know how to govern,they are a bunch of greedy pigs,spend,spend,spend.
what you say may be true but they're still government,may not be Federal,but its still government.
chipshirley, but when one buys a car, they KNOW that they have to buy auto insurance and they take that into account. If they can't afford the insurace, then they find other ways, like walk or take the bus. It's the same when someone buys a house. But to FORCE EVERYBODY in America to buy health insurance, whether they can afford it or not, is just absolutely absurd.
I don't have health insurace but I do not go to the doctor with every sniffle and fever. I am into natural medicine and that works 100 times better than conventional medicine for me. So why should I have to buy something I don't even agree with and definately can't afford. If they make us pay for health insurance, many, MANY people will be out on the street or in jail since they can't afford it. The economy is already bad. What's this gonna prove?
whats the big deal anyway,everyone has to pay that has any kind of insurance,if everyone is forced to have insurance,maybe it will stop they gripes from other people about having to pay for other people who dont have insurance,on these post people gripe all the time because of people going to the ER that dont have insurance,so if everyone has to have insurance,maybe it will stop a lot of complaining from other folks
Redneck ignorance would be a HOOT if it wasn't for poor people suffering. For example, Home Sweet Home Alabama is one of the most backward and poorest places in America. But their upper crust legislative leaders voted solid against the healthcare bill. No concern for Alabama's poor other than the usual empty rhetoric. And Georgia's legislative leaders are not much better.
But going further, National Democrats should avoid any curbs on immigration. The South needs an ever swelling influx of Spanish immigrants to dilute the ideological stupidity that prevails in this land.
Baker for Governor. I still remember the governor that challenged the Supreme Court decision on retired pay. And after the state paid prime interest for years I spent my money happily. And I thought the CONS were all about doing away with frivolous law suits. Now I wonder how much money their lobbyist friends are paying for these little tricks?
I almost forgot to remind everyone that the ones saying come Nov, are the same ones saying yesterday that the healthcare bill didn't have a chance. I wonder if RUSH GLEN and MICHELE are still ranting about the 11 year old that lost his mother because of lack of healthcare? Anyway mega dittos to everyone waiting for November, I can't hardly wait also.
Man I wish we had Health Insurance reform 10+ years ago.
Nat, you are incorrect. It is not unconstitutional for the federal government to force individuals to buy (or not buy) anything. The federal government's has laws forbidding you to buy cocaine, forcing you to buy a passport to travel outside the country, making it illegal for you to buy nuclear weapons, making you pay for a government-validated identity card before you can board a commercial aircraft, forcing you to put a portion of your money into a retirement plan (Social Security), etc. Some of those you have probably agreed are good laws, others you might disagree with, but the feds can constitutionally impose upon you obligations to buy or prohibitions against buying some things.
This law is unconstitutional. The federal government is granted enumerated powers and everything not expressly granted to the federal government is reserved for the states. Read the 10th amendment. So while the State Government can require you to buy insurance (as they do in Mass.) and regulate the insurance industry in that state (as they have for years) the federal government doe snot have that power expressly granted to them. Anyone who is shouting "what about the comerce clause" should think about this. The conerce clause allows the governmetn to regulate interstate comerce. If a person chooses not to buy insurance, what interstate comerce are they taking part in? There is no interstate comerce to regulate. This bill REQUIRES you to conduct interstate comerce.
A lot of posters on here need to read the constitution before they speak about something they know nothing about.
Justus--You are absolutely right--It was a Political Spectacle.
The Democrats cost the Taxpayers MILLIONS of Dollars taking almost a year to get this monster HCB passed using every illegal trick in the book, KNOWING that it was Unconstitutional.
DanK--With all due respect, what you have mentioned are either Crimes or Laws affecting Interstate Commerce. And Social Security is a Tax just like Medicare. Our Constitution has been held to allow the Federal Government to impose taxes, make Criminal Laws, and make laws affecting Interstate Commerce. All other government is handed to the States under the 10th. Amendment. You are a smart guy thinking of things that the Federal Government can do, but they cannot make an individual buy Health Insurance or penalize a person for NOT buying it. That is why we have the Constitution of the United States--to prevent Federal Government from telling us, as individual citizen, what to do!
Has anyone read the law? What does it say? Are they going house to house to check your insurance card? Who is exempt?
Although I feel I need a larger platform to advertise this information, please pass it on and know you will see it again. According to the 2000 census, there are 9.5 mi people in Georgia. When we tally the districts population who's representatives voted for Health Care, I get 2.5 mil.
That's 1/4 of the population of state of Georgia. So, if Georgia fights it, then it is disenfranchising 1/4 of the state’s residents.
Where have I seen this before? No Sir, Like I said before, Georgia's Legislative branch better be trying to balance the state budget, this is fight they don't want. Don't make us all, 2.5 mil + show up and show out. Really, Really consider this foolishness before it's too late.
chipshirley
Monday, Mar. 22 12:02 PM
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To answer the question “Where else does the government force you to buy something?”
1. Auto Insurance. Some try to make the case that one does not have to buy this insurance if one doesn’t drive. True, but just as a driver needs auto insurance, any person who is ‘living in America’ needs health insurance. In this case driving=living. No doctor or hospital are allowed to leave an injured person untended for. So when a young healthy person has an illness or accident they will be treated, by law, even they themselves are not allowed to tell the doctor ‘Just let me die’ that is not legal.
--Not owning an auto thus no forced insurance is still a freedom of choice the gov't is now attemting to take from us.
So, in a sense people already have a form if health insurance and this bill is just forcing everyone to help pay for what they already have.
--Statistics show that the majority of people showing up at the ER or doctor's office have health insurance, contrary to the propaganda put out by the DIMs.
2. We are also all forced to pay federal and state taxes and property taxes. In doing this we are being forced to pay for Roads, Airports, Schools, Police protection our Military etc.
-- The collection of taxes is fully covered in the Constitution. Forcing people to buy gov't health insurance (or anything else) is NOT.
I don’t have children in school, but I help pay for others, I was morally outraged by the wars against Iraq and Vietnam, but I was forced to help pay for them even as I protested them.
--A basic (K-12 educaton is a right and has always been the responsibility of the public at large because it promotes an educated, thus productive society. The destruction of SHs regime in Iraq was supported by YOUR reps in Congress and the majority of Americans. The same for the war in Afghanistan after 9/11.
It’s called being an American Citizen. That’s my America and your America and I love it, for better and worse.
I love America AS IS (Democratic Republic) but NOT a socialist America which is where BimbObama and the Progressives (DIMs) in Congress are trying to take us.
Just by this board, we see the problem. I see people admitting they don't have health insurance, but I didn't hear them say they couldn't afford it. No, they are gambling they wont' get sick, but they will. Then they will come with their tin cup, "Help Me, I'm sick." You are the ones who must must spoon feed. Yea, you gonna get some health insurance, because we are tiered of taking care of idiots who are mentally challenged before they get physically unable. Oh, yea, you gonna get some health insurance.
kapa, yep, these folks are gong to get gov't insurance and YOU and I will pay for it if they can't. So where have we made any progress with this DIM monstrosity?
msgret92
Monday, Mar. 22 1:44 PM
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A lot of posters on here need to read the constitution before they speak about something they know nothing about.
Evidently I now what I'm talking abut as I took an entire semester studiying the framing fo our Constitution and th issues that the framedrs had to resolve. I also taught the history of our Constitution and have NEVER seen such gross violations as this health care bill. To have government regulate commerce is one thing, but to engage in it is NOT in our Constitution.
Kapa18
Kapa18
Monday, Mar. 22 2:17 PM
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Although I feel I need a larger platform to advertise this information, please pass it on and know you will see it again. According to the 2000 census, there are 9.5 mi people in Georgia. When we tally the districts population who's representatives voted for Health Care, I get 2.5 mil.
That's 1/4 of the population of state of Georgia. So, if Georgia fights it, then it is disenfranchising 1/4 of the state’s residents.
--Many more millions of people were disenfranchised by the DIMs in writing
AND passng this bill without bi-partisan input and support.
Where have I seen this before? No Sir, Like I said before, Georgia's Legislative branch better be trying to balance the state budget, this is fight they don't want. Don't make us all, 2.5 mil + show up and show out. Really, Really consider this foolishness before it's too late.
--Seems thousands of people showed up ain D.C to oppose this bill but were ignored by the DIMs and they will show up in November at the ballot box.
jack, sit-down, we ain't talking a cold. Cancer treatments can cost $$'s of dollars. So can treatment for heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, high blood pressure, Glaucoma, ect...Some people don't get it. Read Dank's post, the Fed's can mandate, actually they are the only one's who can. How many times does a person who get's caught driving under the influence say, I was drunk, I only had one drink, but by the federal mandate they were. The Govt. must do what is best for everybody, and some of you are going to be using those psychological services real soon.
Augusta resident, with over a thousand more IRS agents to enfore the bill, you can expect to be required to report what insurance you have and with whom on your income tax return. Lying means jail time.
jack, and the millions who wanted it now and the millions who will like it when the smoke clears will be there in November. We wanted it and we will depend it and those who spoke for us in November. Put your pennies together because it's going to be expensive...
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