Pressing Their Suit: States Line up for Legal Challenge

President Obama may have signed his name tens of thousands of times, but nowhere will pack more punch than on the dotted line of today's health care bill. As of this morning, the liberals' nightmarish plan is now a cruel reality for a whopping 80% of the country who believe that the legislation will either hurt them or have no effect whatsoever. The backlash, fired from states across the country, started almost immediately. Lawsuits from 13 states--some collective, others individual--are already in motion from attorneys general who represent a wide array of politically diverse populations. Michigan, Idaho, Mississippi, Minnesota, and now Louisiana, are also wading in the legal waters with announcements that they too may go to court in hopes of fending off ObamaCare at their borders. All but 11 U.S. states are following up these legal revolts with a regional one, having introduced or passed legislation in some form that questions the bill's constitutionality (or, more accurately, the lack of it--as Ken Blackwell, Sen. Orrin Hatch, and Ken Klukowski point out).

Despite all the negative PR, White House Senior Advisor David Axelrod shrugged off the notion that these states would have any influence. The President's legislation, he said, "will withstand the legal challenges." But can it withstand the political one? After their dazzling courtship, the President's unfaithfulness to American voters cuts deep. If anything, that betrayal will only take on new legs, as congressional Republicans pick up steam with their repeal campaign. In the Senate, Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) is banking on one simple sentence to reverse the bill, "The Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act, and the amendments made by that Act are repealed." On the House side, Steve King (R-Iowa) is launching an offensive with his own repeal bill. Unfortunately, the challenge that could have had the most immediate impact was thrown out in the Senate by the Democrat-appointed parliamentarian, who ruled against the GOP's argument on reconciliation.

Others are adding ammunition for November to hit Democrats squarely between the "ayes." While some groups are pronouncing the pro-life movement dead in the President's party, they seem oblivious to the fact that several Democrats actually stood, unbending, in the storm. By founding the coalition (which he later abandoned), Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) overshadowed all of the leaders who planted their feet firmly on the side of life when it mattered most. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.), stood strong voting "no" for the bill in the face of overwhelming peer pressure--as did Democratic Reps. Boren, Bright, Childers, Holden, L. Davis, Marshall, McIntyre, Peterson, Shuler, Skelton and Taylor. Although these members were completely eclipsed by Stupak, they were the ultimate heroes. Rather than lash out at the movement for the collapse of some, we should make a concentrated effort to praise those who took the mantle upon themselves. They heeded Rep. Stupak's advice even when he did not--the important thing is to prioritize life, not politicize it.

As for others' pro-life U-turns, it's personal now. FRC Action's Tom McClusky made that clear yesterday to a reporter from Politico. "There's passion, but we want to make sure that passion is directed in the right place." You can help. If you'd like to "Replace and Repeal," become a member of FRC Action, our legislative action arm. There you can join the FRC Action PAC in electing members who will repeal this administration's government takeover of health care.

From FRC Action Update 3/23/10