The South Carolina state House on Wednesday passed a so-called “nullification” bill that declares President Barack Obama’s health care reform law to be “null and void,” and criminalizes its implementation.
The South Carolina Freedom of Health Care Protection Act was passed by a state House vote of 65 to 39. The bill intends to “prohibit certain individuals from enforcing or attempting to enforce such unconstitutional laws; and to establish criminal penalties and civil liability for violating this article.”
The measure would allow the state Attorney General “to restrain by temporary restraining order, temporary injunction, or permanent injunction” any person who is believed to be causing harm with the implementation of the the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Any South Carolina taxpayer who is forced to pay a penalty due to the federal health care mandate would be able to deduct the full amount of the penalty from their state taxes.
Additionally, the measure would outlaw state and local government from creating or using non-profit health care exchanges a outlined by the health care reform law.
Fort Sumter all over again. The state's Senate is expected to pass the law and it could be on Gov. Nikki Haley's desk by the end of the month. The question now becomes if Haley, who has sworn not to enforce or implement the bill, will subject the state to federal lawsuits by putting that stance into a clearly unconstitutional state law that will cost taxpayers millions to defend in court.
Meanwhile, I say Republicans should continue to overplay their hand on Obamacare, and throw ridiculous Gadsden Flag fits in public like this. The people who will get hurt will be red state voters, and if they go to these lengths to make implementation impossible under state law, it's Republicans who then own the consequences, 100%.
We'll see where it goes.
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