Weighing in

Idaho became the first state in the nation to create new laws designed to shield residents from any mandates, such as required health insurance coverage, that could arise from the national health care revamp under way in the U.S. Congress. Reaction among readers ranged from full support of the Republican-dominated effort to outright dismay. Find complete coverage and the full debate at www.spokesman.com.

Loudin: Alas, a state that consistently ranks in the bottom third nationally for health care votes against programs which would force its citizens to get insurance. … Now if we could just get the arch-Con voting electorate of Idaho to stop using socialist programs like Social Security & Medicare, we (Washingtonians) could brag to other Americans about what it’s like to live next door to Albania.

CdaMomof4: What an embarrassment the Idaho Legislature is. You’ve got to love the name of the bill though – Idaho Health Freedom Act – Idaho’s Legislature, working to ensure that its citizens are free from health.

Sugar Shane: One small step for man, one giant leap backward for Idaho.

Anne_Observer: There is no doubt whatever that federally mandated health care is outside the constitutional authority of the government. No doubt at all. If you disagree, maybe you should interview the 37 other states that are readying similar legislation.

CharlesBillford: I bet Jed and Jethro voted for this and all the other hillbillies.

GramaVegas: Wow, I think your governor walks on water for doing that. Are you kidding? You LIKE the idea of the federal government forcing insurance on you? Unbelievable. … Your governor is doing exactly what he should be doing … protecting the Constitution and your obviously ungrateful state from one more of O’s steps towards socialism.

CharlesBillford: I don’t think they have defined what “universal health care” is yet sufficient to everyone’s understanding. One of those amorphous and nebulous meanings different to each person.

Aximilation: This is great news. I am in favor of this, but would hardly consider myself one of the hillbillies, myself being a programmer from CA / WA.

State_of_Idiots: Well, well, well….seems you Washington folk have discovered our end of the (shallow) gene pool. Now here’s a serious tip for you: lots of the remaining technology guys in Boise (i.e. HP, Micron, ProClarity, etc) would really like it should you lure our employers over the state line. It would be a tremendous relief, because we know they’ve had it with the idiots that run this state, and are going somewhere else real soon.