7 State AG's Probing Health Care Deal; GOP Forces Vote On Constitutionality In Senate

The top prosecutors in seven states are probing the constitutionality of a political deal that cut a funding break for Nebraska in order to pass a federal health care reform bill, South Carolina's attorney general said Tuesday. Attorney General Henry McMaster said he and his counterparts in Alabama, Colorado, Michigan, North Dakota, Texas and Washington state — all Republicans — are jointly taking a look at the deal they've dubbed the "Nebraska compromise." "The Nebraska compromise, which permanently exempts Nebraska from paying Medicaid costs that Texas and all other 49 states must pay, may violate the United States Constitution — as well as other provisions of federal law," Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said. McMaster's move comes at the request of Republican U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint of South Carolina...read more

The Senate on Wednesday will have to take an unplanned vote on whether the Democratic health care proposal is constitutional. Sens. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., and John Ensign, R-Nev., on Tuesday raised a point of order against the legislation on behalf of a caucus of conservative senators. Ensign said the bill violates individual freedom of choice by requiring people to purchase health insurance or be subjected to fines and penalties. "Forcing every American to purchase a product is absolutely inconsistent with our Constitution and the freedoms our Founding Fathers hoped to protect,” Senator DeMint said. "This is not at all like car insurance, you can choose not to drive but Americans will have no choice whether to buy government-approved insurance."...read more