Have GOP pay for it

Last Wednesday’s editorial approving the Washington attorney general’s move to join the suit challenging the constitutionality of the health care reform law was balanced but overlooked several important points.

If other states already plan to challenge the law, why must Washington taxpayers be required to finance this process? We’re not a Republican state like Idaho, and McKenna doesn’t represent the majority of voters. He didn’t even pretend to consult our governor or Legislature. He acted instantly and independently.

This health care reform law benefits Washington financially and all residents, including the most conservative Republicans, and will damage the state if not enacted. Do we want that? Is McKenna really acting in the public interest?

For 12 years Republicans controlled Congress and then the presidency and saddled citizens with an unnecessary, unfunded war costing trillions of deficit dollars. Other than establishing an also unfunded drug coverage plan benefiting the pharmaceutical industry (more deficits), they ignored health care.

Are we now a country where everything Republicans do is OK and nothing is OK if promoted by Democrats?

If Republicans are so dedicated to blocking health care reform, they should accept responsibility to pay for challenging the new law. That’s called “being accountable.”

Joanne Hirabayashi

Priest River, Idaho