Controversy in Washington

House Bill 1715 could change Washington State forever. As the bill states;  "The official designation is a desirable promotional tool that Washington businesses can use when sharing their product with customers through the world."  (HB1715) What is the bill about, you ask? Only the most important cultural characteristic of Washington State.  The amazing taste of coffee.

This bill designates coffee as our state drink, but the tough question is what kind? Is Washington State a black coffee state or a mocha latte or perhaps we are an americano type of state. The kind of coffee is very telling about a person and more so a state. What image do we as a state want to portray to the rest of the country?

Without your input key issues like this will be decided. Write or call your legislature today to get in the fight and stand up for your favorite morning pick me up. We can't fix health care or higher education reform this session but we can forever decide the fate of our state drink and the flavor of our future.

Healthcare and Gun Control: Ironic approach to Reform

One of my friends sent this link to me and i couldn't help but laugh. In spirit of the health care mandate South Dakota as working on bill to provide an individual mandate for gun ownership.

"It's known as the "Act to provide for an individual mandate to adult citizens to provide for the self-defense of themselves and others." In political terms, it's a smackdown to the "Affordable Care Act." Republican Hal Wick from Sioux Falls is sponsoring the bill and concedes it is unlikely to pass, but he's using it to illustrate what many critics of the health care law believe -- that the requirement for individuals to buy health insurance is unconstitutional."(Political Daily)

I highly dough this bill will make it very far in there legislature but as comical as the idea is, it makes a good point. If the government can mandate you buy health insurance, what else could they force you to by. An good argument I heard in support of the mandate was that; "The health care mandate is akin to the law  that require you to get auto insurance."  That statement raised a good point, when you get in a car you could hurt someone else and thus you need insurance. But unlike a car with health care you don't chose to get sick, as you chose to drive. It will be interesting to see how the mandate issue pans out. If its seen as constitutional i wonder was else they will mandate.... gym memberships perhaps?  As far as the gun mandate in South Dakota, i wonder if they will provide gun subsidies for low in come families. That could end poorly.

The War on Healthcare: The Battle Continues

"The Senate’s Democratic leaders answered the Republican challenge by saying they would stage a vote on the repeal measure on Wednesday, when they were certain it would be defeated. The House, where Republicans won a majority in November’s elections, approved the repeal last month." ( New York Times )

A few days ago a Florida judge ruled that the health care bill was unconstitutional. With another judge ruling against the bill, the pressure is on for work to be done on the bill. But the Democratic senate has already stated, they will not make a vote to repeal the bill happen. With the bill following almost complete party lines the idea of even collaborating to fix the bill seems to be out of the question. But yet there is still some hope on the topic of health care reform. But it might just be more political posturing.   

“For all those who supported the health care law, it’s an opportunity to re-evaluate your vote, to listen to your constituents,” Mr. McConnell said in a floor speech on Tuesday. He added, “You can say, perhaps: ‘This was a mistake. We can do this better.’ Or you can continue to dismiss the majority of people in this country as not knowing what they’re talking about.” ( New York Times )

Regardless of your views on the bill, the future of health care reform seems to be a partisan mined field. with neither side really gaining a footing at this point. But no matter the out come the tax payer will be fronting the bill.  

The War on Healthcare

The Florida state supreme court judge ruled that Health care bill is unconstitutional.

"Judge Roger Vinson said as a result of the unconstitutionality of the "individual mandate" that requires people to buy insurance, the entire law must be thrown out." (Fox News)

"I must reluctantly conclude that Congress exceeded the bounds of its authority in passing the Act with the individual mandate. That is not to say, of course, that Congress is without power to address the problems and inequities in our health care system. The health care market is more than one sixth of the national economy, and without doubt Congress has the power to reform and regulate this market. That has not been disputed in this case. The principal dispute has been about how Congress chose to exercise that power here," Vinson wrote. (Fox News)

This decision will help drive the bill to the supreme court. Realistic projection say that it will not happen for a year or more.  Which means that this health care package or "Obamacare" as it has been coined, with be decided by the 2012 elections and those who are in office at that time.

Washington State is one of the 27 states that has signed onto the bill and has been involved in the fight to repeal the bill sense its creation. The Attorney General, Rob McKenna has gotten a lot of flack from those in our state government about his choices to sign on to the bill. If this bill is defeat in the supreme court, then it could acts as a nail in the coffin to the reelection of those officials that supported the unpopular bill.

As i say way to often change is coming to our nation and state, and pivotal bills and court ruling such as these are the key factors to that change. But the question arises, if this bill is shot down what else could republicans get on the chopping block? And how will out state legislature deal with increase attention on health care reform?