Three GOP candidates say “no” to national health care plan

The three Republican candidates for governor say the state should try to opt out of the national health care reform plan President Obama will sign into law tomorrow.  Below (after the jump) are statements each of the three candidates have issued on this topic, in the order the statements were issued.

3/18/10:  DES MOINES – With congressional Democrats pushing closer to passage of a government-run health care system, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats said today that he would invoke the Constitution’s 10th Amendment to protect Iowans from new federal mandates.

In remarks prepared for a campaign event with young professionals at Smokey Row coffeehouse in the Sherman Hill neighborhood, Vander Plaats said Iowa “needs a governor willing to stand against runaway federalism.”

“I talk to so many Iowans who are fed up with the federal government trying to grab more and more power over their lives and take more and more of their money.  There’s no clearer example of that power grab than the Democrats’ plan to take over our health care system lock, stock and barrel,” said Vander Plaats, noting that Iowa consistently ranks high in health care delivery and very low in federal reimbursement. “Frankly, there’s no reason for us to just sit here and let the federal government run roughshod over the public’s will.  If that legislation passes, I’ll show the federal government that the states still have a say in things.”

Vander Plaats continued, “A Virginia House delegate named Christopher Peace summed it up best last week when he wrote in the Richmond Post-Dispatch that “the American people have ignored an enormous consolidation of power and authority in our federal government over the past year and, some could argue, the past 20 years.  … But the nation is now experiencing a turning away from big government — and this ebb may well revive the intended constitutional government.”

Vander Plaats noted that “much like the Second Amendment is designed to protect the citizen from the encroachments of the government, so stands the 10th Amendment in defense of the states (and their citizens).”

“In other words, powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. I would argue that a federal take-over of our health care system is not a power delegated to the United States,” he said.  “I’ll be a governor who reminds Congress and the President that there’s a reason the constitution has a 10th amendment.”

As governor, Vander Plaats’ legislative agenda would include a measure modeled after a Virginia proposal that states, “No law shall restrict a person’s natural right and power of contract to secure the blessings of liberty to choose private health care systems or private plans. No law shall interfere with the right of a person or entity to pay for lawful medical services to preserve life or health, nor shall any law impose a penalty, tax, fee, or fine, of any type, to decline or to contract for health care coverage or to participate in any particular health care system or plan, except as required by a court where an individual or entity is a named party in a judicial dispute. Nothing herein shall be construed to expand, limit or otherwise modify any determination of law regarding what constitutes lawful medical services within the Commonwealth.”

Vander Plaats said he would support legislation that firearms, firearms accessories and ammunition made and retained in Iowa are “not subject to federal law or regulation under the authority of Congress to regulate interstate commerce.” He also would urge Iowans to launch the process to amend the federal constitution to include a balanced budget amendment.

“Virginia has the great names in America’s revolution against an oppressive government – names like Patrick Henry, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson and Edmund Randolph.  Today’s Iowans are no less patriotic and just as willing to stand up for their personal freedoms. We do not have to let the federal government walk all over us if we elect a governor who will stand against the modern-day tyranny of crushing federal debt brought on a federal government that takes our money and spends it to control our lives,” he said.

3/20/10: ROBERTS OUTLINES WAY TO CHALLENGE OBAMA’S NATIONALIZED HEALTH CARE PLAN

Republican gubernatorial candidate State Representative Rod Roberts filed an amendment to two bills in the Iowa House yesterday that could make it possible to challenge the constitutionality of President Obama’s plan to nationalize the health care industry, which could occur as soon as Sunday. Roberts filed the amendment to both SF 2201 and SF 2356. The Roberts Amendment would prohibit federal laws that require Iowans to purchase particular health care plans or that restrict Iowans’ ability to choose their own health care plan.

“If President Obama and Democrats in Washington, D.C., force health care decisions upon Iowans, I will stand up for the people of Iowa and defend our state’s sovereignty,” said Roberts, an Assistant Minority Leader in the Iowa House of Representatives. “Now is the time for action. I have a plan to defend Iowans’ constitutional rights.”

Roberts said that if the federal government passes a nationalized health care plan that conflicts with the Roberts Amendment, as governor he will file a lawsuit in federal court against President Obama to have the plan struck down as a violation of Iowans’ Tenth Amendment rights. The Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides that powers not delegated to the federal government (such as the regulation of health insurance) are reserved for the states.

“President Obama’s health care plan is an unprecedented power-grab by the federal government that would severely hinder states’ rights. Allowing the nationalization of health care would result in an even larger federal government, higher government spending, higher taxes, and less individual liberty,” said Roberts, a five-term State Representative from Carroll. “President Obama’s plan is unconstitutional, and with my amendment, I will bring a lawsuit against President Obama to have his health care plan struck as a violation of Iowans’ Tenth Amendment rights.”

Other states across the country—such as Virginia—have enacted laws similar to the Roberts Amendment.  Roberts also co-sponsored the Health Freedom Act last month, which makes the Roberts Amendment the second bill that Roberts has supported this session to challenge the nationalization of the U.S. health care industry. Roberts’s plan to use the amendment to bring a lawsuit in federal court to challenge the constitutionality of President Obama’s nationalized health care plan is consistent with what state attorney generals and governors are doing throughout the United States.

“I believe in limited government, whether it is at the state or federal level,” said Roberts, who has consistently opposed tax increases as a legislator. “As governor, I will not only reduce taxes and place constitutional limits on state spending to keep state government small, but I will not hesitate to resort to the judicial process through the use of the Tenth Amendment to limit the size of the federal government, too.”

3/22/10:  VANDER PLAATS PLEASED TO SEE ROBERTS FOLLOW HIS LEAD,AWAITS WORD FROM BRANSTAD ON SOCIALIZED HEALTH CARE

ATLANTIC – Noting that one of his opponents for the Republican gubernatorial nomination has followed his pledge to invoke the constitution’s 10th Amendment to protect Iowans from the government-run health care system approved by Congress Sunday night, Bob Vander Plaats today called on former Gov. Terry Branstad to tell Iowans whether he will “stand up or cave in to this federal power grab.”

Vander Plaats announced Thursday that, as governor, his legislative agenda would include a measure protecting Iowans from being forced into a federal health-care program.

He said the measure, which would be modeled after a Virginia proposal, would state that “No law shall restrict a person’s natural right and power of contract to secure the blessings of liberty to choose private health care systems or private plans. No law shall interfere with the right of a person or entity to pay for lawful medical services to preserve life or health, nor shall any law impose a penalty, tax, fee, or fine, of any type, to decline or to contract for health care coverage or to participate in any particular health care system or plan, except as required by a court where an individual or entity is a named party in a judicial dispute. Nothing herein shall be construed to expand, limit or otherwise modify any determination of law regarding what constitutes lawful medical services within Iowa.”

On Saturday, state Rep. Rod Roberts of Carroll introduced amendments with a similar intent to two bills in the current legislative session.  “I’m pleased that Rod Roberts knows a good idea when he sees one. Iowans would like to know if Terry Branstad also recognizes the importance of standing against the federal takeover of health care or whether he’s going to surrender our rights with more go-along, get-along, status quo politics.”

Vander Plaats said the Democrats’ vote on health care is “federalism run amok at best and, at worse, a big step toward socialism.”

“Either way, it is an assault on our individual freedom that will consolidate more power in hands of a few within the federal government.  I’ve said I’ll stand against that kind of intrusion,” Vander Plaats said. “We know Chet Culver won’t. That’s why we must replace him. But, as Republicans, my party must nominate a bold leader who gets out in front of issues like health care first instead of playing it safe. I have a proven record of being that kind of leader.”

3/23/10:  Branstad statement on federal health care legislation

(URBANDALE) – Former Gov. Terry Branstad today released the following statement on the federal health care legislation passed by the U.S. House last night:

“All of us who care about the future for our kids and grandchildren must be concerned about the actions of Congress on health care. At a time that our country is facing trillion dollar deficits as far as the eye can see, we can ill-afford another trillion dollars of spending by the federal government.

“The so-called funding for the package is more tax increases, massive cuts in Medicare for our elderly and unfunded mandates for states already struggling under huge Medicaid burdens.

“Let there be no mistake: we need health care reform. The costs of care are crushing many Iowa families.

“But adding more spending, taxes and unfunded mandates to the burden Iowans already carry is not the solution. Given the massive scope and effect of this bill, it is likely that various provisions will be challenged in the courts. Those challenges are both timely and appropriate.”