Mr. Potato Head Goes It Alone

Republican Governors are a hard-headed lot.  This time around it's Idaho Republican Butch Otter who today declared by executive order that Idaho is not allowed to participate in the "socialist horror" that is Obamacare in any way.

The executive order issued by the governor Wednesday prevents any state agencies from entering into agreements with federal agencies over optional provisions of the act. State departments would also not be able to accept any money from the federal government to aid with development of Obamacare provisions.

Agencies may apply for waivers in order to enter into agreements or accept federal money, but Otter would have to approve all requests.  Those waiver applications would become a matter of public record.

It might be no surprise to some to see Otter take this step.  In his State of the State address earlier this year, he warned that the state should “push back” on the federal government’s health care reform efforts.

House Bill 298 was toned down from two earlier versions that failed to clear the Legislature due to concerns that the state doesn’t have the authority to challenge the legitimacy of federal laws.

And yet that's exactly what Otter is doing here, ignoring the long-standing Supremacy Clause in the Constitution, and costing Idaho residents millions of dollars in more expensive health care.  OK, Idaho, if you think you can go it alone, the other 49 states would like their Medicare and Medicaid money back, too, you know.

We'll see how far this law gets.