The Last Skirmish Of The Old War Is The First Of The New

President Obama's final stump speech on health care reform will take place today in the crucial state of Virginia, a state that hasn't been so kind to Democrats in 2009.

Obama kicked off his general-election campaign with two stops in the state, including one in Prince William County. He returned to Northern Virginia for his final stop, drawing thousands to a Manassas rally not far from the George Mason University arena where he'll speak to about 10,000 people on Friday. A day after those stops, he became the first Democrat in 44 years to claim the Old Dominion.

Since then, however, Virginia hasn't been quite so accommodating. Despite Obama's personal campaigning, Democrats lost the state's three top jobs last fall, getting trounced in each race by more than 15 points

Republicans having been using their perch in Richmond since then to stoke sentiment against Washington.
Gov. Robert F. McDonnell delivered the Republican rebuttal to Obama's State of the Union address from the state capitol. Last week, Virginia became the first state to pass a law making a key piece of the federal health-care reform package illegal -- a measure that would not have passed without support from some Democrats. And Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II (R) said this week that he will mount a constitutional challenge if the bill passes. 

And Virginia isn't the only state that will sue to stop health care reform, either.

Idaho took the lead in a growing, nationwide fight against health care overhaul Wednesday when its governor became the first to sign a measure requiring the state attorney general to sue the federal government if residents are forced to buy health insurance.

Similar legislation is pending in 37 other states.

Constitutional law experts say the movement is mostly symbolic because federal laws supersede those of the states.

But the state measures reflect a growing frustration with President President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. The proposal would cover some 30 million uninsured people, end insurance practices such as denying coverage to those with pre-existing conditions, require almost all Americans to get coverage by law, and try to slow the cost of medical care nationwide.

It's largely symbolic because they expect the Supreme Court to stay out of the mess and let the states and the federal government continue to handle their own disputes.  But this is a Supreme Court that had no problem striking down a century of precedent in campaign financing laws to give corporations the power to pour unlimited money into elections.  I wouldn't call it a done deal yet.

On the other hand, your average insurance company is thrilled at the mandate with no public option bill we face now.  They stand to make tens of billions off tens of millions of new customers, so somehow I don't think the corporate powers that be will want to see this one pushed too far.