Testimony: Nullification issue ‘a political one’

At this morning’s health-care nullification hearing in the House State Affairs Committee, testimony so far has included Andrew Theiss, who told the committee, “It is not about health, it is about money, power and control.” He said if Idaho accepts the federal health care reform law, “Then we should stop giving lip service to the Constitution and scrap it.”

Frank Kenny, an Air Force retiree from Meridian, asked “What’s next?” Will the government require everyone to purchase a GM electric car by 2015? he asked. “A battalion of lawyers doesn’t outrank the people’s choice,” Kenny declared.

Pamela Dowd of Boise said her daughter, disabled after a brain injury, needs affordable health coverage, and the bill removes that option for her. “This bill throws out not just the bathwater but all of the disabled with it,” she told the committee.

George Gersema told lawmakers, “We’ve heard lawyers tell us about the constitutionality of this bill, and we’ve had much discussion and advice as to what we should do about that, but I don’t believe our consideration is a legal one. … I believe strategically, the issue before us is a political one.”

Craig Campbell told the committee, “There are some things that are inherently evil about this.” He said, “We don’t need you to defend the union … we need you to defend us.”