AG Lori Swanson says No to Suit to Block Health Care Reform Law
March 24, 2010 by Rick Brock
Filed under Blog, News
Gov. Tim Pawlenty Monday, sent the following letter to Attorney General Lori Swanson:
As you may be aware, attorneys general in at least 12 states have indicated they plan to file lawsuits to block implementation of the federal health care reform legislation on constitutional grounds.
The legislation passed by congress requires individuals to purchase health insurance or pay a fine. Such a sweeping federal mandate has never before been enacted. In fact, when such a mandate was previously considered, a 1994 report from the Congressional Budget Office said, “A mandate requiring all individuals to purchase health insurance would be an unprecedented form of federal action. The government has never required people to buy any good or service as a condition of lawful residence in the United States.”
It appears that congress may be overstepping it’s bounds by forcing individuals or businesses to buy insurance. I respectfully request that you review the legal issues being raised by these unprecedented federal mandate and join other attorneys general to protect the constitutional rights of our citizens. These efforts will help maintain a proper balance in the relationship between states and the federal government.
While I support improving and reforming our health care system, this bill is overly focused on expanding access and will do little to improve overall health care quality or contain costs. Congress would have been wiser to use Minnesota’s market-driven, patient-centered, and quality-focused reforms as a model.
Swanson’s office says the bill hasn’t even become law yet [as of Monday] and the individual mandate doesn’t take effect for four more years. See full article at The Minnesota Independent.
Let’s work to elect an Attorney General who will stand up for Minnesota citizen’s Constitutional rights.
April 6th update:
On March 22nd, 68 members of the state legislature sent a letter the Attorney General Lori Swanson asking her to file suit against the federal government’s unconstitutional law.
In addition to saying ‘no’, Lori Swanson now says she will be filing a ‘Friend of the Court’ brief in support of the Federal Health Care Reform law!
Call Attorney General Lori Swanson at 651.296.3353 in the Twin Cities or 800.657.3787 outside the Twin Cities weekdays between 8:00am – 5:00pm. Demand that she do her job by defending Minnesota’s constitutionally guaranteed right to determine our own health care regulations.
