Small Town News

Decision to join lawsuit is not a good one

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Summary: North Dakota's entry into the health care fight doesn 't make sense.

Last week, North Dakota joined a legal challenge to the recently approved federal health care bill.

The new law says individuals have to buy a health insurance policy if they don't have coverage. Anyone who doesn't buy health insurance must pay a fine. North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem says the requirement goes beyond the U.S. Constitution's limits on the powers of the federal government.

More than a dozen states are taking part in the lawsuit.

Gov. John Hoeven supported the state's entry into this political frenzy surrounding the new bill.

The lawsuit also claims the health care bill violates the 10th Amendment, which says the federal government has no authority beyond the powers granted to it under the Constitution, by forcing the states to carry out its provisions but not reimbursing them for the costs.

Similar lawsuits were filed over the Social Security and Voting Rights Act when those bills were passed into law.

The effort is pure political posturing and, in Stenehjem's and Ho-even's case, it is seemingly a tip of the hat to the Republican party's lunatic fringe.

There is a seething hatred running through both the far right and far left in the country and North Dakota's leaders would be wise to stay out of it. By joining the lawsuit, the state is expending money and resources on a fruitless campaign against a law. like it or not, passed by a majority in Congress.

It's baffling why the two strongest Republican candidates North Dakota has seen in decades have chosen to involve the state in this lawsuit. Neither Hoeven nor Stenehjem need tp make hay with voters. Both could fall asleep until mid-November and still get elected by a wide margin.

In addition. North Dakota is a state that receives far more federal money in relation to what it pays in to the kitty. Farm subsidies, homeland security and disaster aid are three prominent examples of funds that flow into the state from Washington, D.C.

Where would North Dakota be without that federal money? Closer to home, where would Rolette County be without those funds?

In an ironic turn last week, just after joining the lawsuit, Gov. Hoeven said the state would request a federal emergency declaration to help pay for the damage done to all the state's power lines during the spring snow storm.

It appears the governor wants the best of both worlds. He doesn't want the federal government to tell him what to do but when the state is in trouble, the feds better come through with the cash.

Because of our fortunate position, North Dakota can afford not to become a part of the partisan bickering and political posturing going on in the country. Unfortunately, it appears that's where our leaders are taking us.



Copyright 2010 Turtle Mountain Star, Rolla, North Dakota. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2010 Turtle Mountain Star Rolla, North Dakota. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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