Commentary

It’s been about a week since the new Legislature finished the work they intended, with legislators returning to their districts.

So how did Idaho fare?

Democrats and powerful lobby groups are clearly happy with the session, to judge by their public comments and other press reports which show that Democrats have a new sense of power in the 62nd Legislature. That is particularly true in the House, where Democrats and moderate Republicans combined to impose Obama’s Insurance Exchange upon the people of Idaho.

Despite fierce protests from Idaho business leaders, citizens, pro-Life groups, agriculture and the Idaho Republican Party, Idaho is now a full-fledged junior partner in an unconstitutional scheme to remake the economy and culture under the guise of “health care”.

Idaho Chooses Life strenuously fought ObamaCare coming to Idaho, but we were simply overwhelmed by the immense resources Blue Cross and their allies brought to bear. We were further hamstrung by the large number of freshmen in the building who seemed dazzled by the attention given them by some of the state’s most powerful lobbyists. It proved nearly impossible to reason with some of these folks, who clung to the mythology that, somehow, Idaho would be able to protect its sovereignty by submitting to federal control of our health care industry.

Particularly disappointing was the failure of the Legislature to adopt our “Religious Liberty Amendment” – which would have at least pushed back at the Obama Administration’s evil plan to force Christian employers to pay for abortion-causing drugs as part of their company insurance policies. Many of those voting against our amendment proclaim pro-Life values, some even voted for a “memorial” to Congress just last year on this very topic; but when it really mattered, too many were apparently intimidated by the power of the insurance lobby or the federal government or both.

Idaho’s religious liberties, as guaranteed by the state and federal constitutions, remain unguarded.

All in all, it was a very disappointing session for the pro-Life movement. Not only did we suffer defeat on the Obama Exchange – this legislature failed to pass a single pro-Life bill. That has not happened since the late 1990’s.

We will have more to say about all this in coming days. But know that our resolve is strong to move Idaho forward in defending the innocent and their mothers from the scourge of abortion. It is too early to give up on this Legislature, despite its horrible beginning.

The Idaho Senate gave final approval to Obama’s Exchange on a 23-12 vote Thursday. The last act of the drama will be Governor Otter’s signature in the next week or so.

Voting for Obama Exchange: Sens. Steve Bair (R-Blackfoot), Les Bock (D-Boise), Bert Brackett (R-Rogerson), Cherie Buckner-Webb(D-Boise), Dean Cameron(R-Rupert), Bart Davis(R-Idaho Falls), John Goedde(R-Coeur d’Alene), Jim Guthrie(R-McCammon), Marv Hagedorn (R-Meridian), Lee Heider (R-Twin Falls), Brent Hill (R-Rexburg), Shawn Keough (R-Sandpoint), Roy Lacey (D-Pocatello), Todd Lakey, (R-Nampa), Patti Anne Lodge (R-Huston), Fred Martin (R-Boise), Jim Patrick (R-Twin Falls), Jim Rice (R-Caldwell), Dan Schmidt (D-Moscow), Jeff Siddoway (R-Terreton), Michelle Stennett (D-Ketchum), John Tippets (R-Montpelier) and Elliot Werk (D-Boise).

Voting No (the pro-Life position): Sens. Cliff Bayer (R-Boise), Branden Durst (D-Boise), Russ Fulcher (R-Meridian), Dan Johnson (R-Lewiston), Curt McKenzie (R-Nampa), Dean Mortimer (R-Idaho Falls), Bob Nonini (R-Coeur d’Alene), Sheryl Nuxoll (R-Cottonwood), Monty Pearce (R-New Plymouth), Steven Thayn (R-Emmett), Steve Vick (R-Dalton Gardens), and Chuck Winder (R-Boise).

Here is the Senate vote on our Religious Liberty Amendment (Nuxoll/Fulcher):

Voting to Amend the bill: (the pro-Life position): Sens. Cliff Bayer (R-Boise), Branden Durst (D-Boise), Russ Fulcher (R-Meridian), Dan Johnson (R-Lewiston), Curt McKenzie (R-Nampa), Dean Mortimer (R-Idaho Falls), Bob Nonini (R-Coeur d’Alene), Sheryl Nuxoll (R-Cottonwood), Monty Pearce (R-New Plymouth), Steven Thayn (R-Emmett), Steve Vick (R-Dalton Gardens).

Voting Against the Religious Liberty Amendment: Sens. Steve Bair (R-Blackfoot), Les Bock (D-Boise), Dean Cameron (R-Rupert), Bart Davis (R-Idaho Falls), John Goedde (R-Coeur d’Alene), Jim Guthrie (R-McCammon), Marv Hagedorn (R-Meridian), Lee Heider (R-Twin Falls), Brent Hill (R-Rexburg), Shawn Keough (R-Sandpoint), Roy Lacey (D-Pocatello), Todd Lakey (R-Nampa), Patti Anne Lodge (R-Nampa), Fred Martin (R-Boise), Jim Patrick (R-Twin Falls), Jim Rice (R-Caldwell), Dan Schmidt (D-Moscow), Jeff Siddoway (R-Terreton), Michelle Stennett (D-Ketchum), John Tippets (R-Montpelier), Elliot Werk (D-Boise), Chuck Winder (R-Boise).

And here is how the Idaho House of Representatives Voted on the Obama Exchange, which passed by a vote of 41-29:

Voting yes: Reps. Anderson(01), Anderson(31), Anderst, Bedke, Bell, Bolz, Burgoyne, Chew, Clow, Collins, Erpelding, Eskridge, Gannon, Gibbs, Hancey, Hartgen, Henderson, Hixon, Horman, Kauffman, King, Kloc, Malek, Meline, Miller, Morse, Packer, Pence, Perry, Raybould, Ringo, Romrell, Rusche, Smith, Thompson, VanOrden, Ward-Engelking, Wills, Wood(27), Woodings, andYoungblood.

(13 Democrats + 28 Republicans)

Voting No (the pro-Life position): Reps. Agidius, Andrus, Barbieri, Barrett, Bateman, Batt, Boyle, Crane, Dayley, DeMordaunt, Denney, Gestrin, Harris, Holtzclaw, Loertscher, Luker, McMillan, Mendive, Monks, Moyle, Nielsen, Palmer, Patterson, Shepherd, Sims, Stevenson, Trujillo, Vander Woude, and Wood(35)

Here is how the House voted on our Religious Liberty Amendment (Barbieri/ Boyle), which failed on a 32-38 vote:

Voting Yes (the pro-Life position): Reps. Agidius, Andrus, Barbieri, Barrett, Bateman, Batt, Boyle, Collins, Crane, Dayley, DeMordaunt, Denney, Gestrin, Harris, Hartgen, Holtzclaw, Loertscher, Luker, McMillan, Mendive, Monks, Moyle, Nielsen, Palmer, Patterson, Shepherd, Sims, Stevenson, Thompson, Trujillo, Vander Woude, andWood(35).

Voting No: Reps. Anderson(01), Anderson(31), Anderst, Bedke, Bell, Bolz, Burgoyne, Chew, Clow, Erpelding, Eskridge, Gannon, Gibbs, Hancey, Henderson, Hixon, Horman, Kauffman, King, Kloc, Malek, Meline, Miller, Morse, Packer, Pence, Perry, Raybould, Ringo, Romrell, Rusche, Smith, VanOrden, Ward-Engelking, Wills, Wood(27), Woodings, and Youngblood

(13 Democrats + 25 Republicans)

Catholic Charities testified before the Senate Commerce Committee this week, urging legislators to impose ObamaCare upon the citizens of Idaho by creating Obama’s insurance exchange.

In so doing, the Church-affiliated organization gave some political cover to legislators grasping to maintain their pro-Life credentials while helping President Obama expand his attack on the sanctity of human life.

In essence, Ms. Tiddens told committee members: Our priority is helping the poor with more government money. We may feel bad about that abortion stuff … but that is really a federal problem. What’s important here is the money.

To say the least, this is troubling – particularly because many legislators believe that Ms. Tiddens was/is speaking for the Bishop of Idaho.

Ms. Tiddens is factually incorrect when she argues that there is nothing Idaho legislators can do about the Obama Mandate to provide free abortifacient drugs under a health insurance exchange. We have been pushing a “Religious Liberty Amendment” all session, and continue work behind the scenes to secure this basic protection for Idaho citizens and employers. We have done so, by the way, without any help from Ms. Tiddens or Catholic Charities.

Catholic Charities is also apparently oblivious to the fact that the threats posed by ObamaCare go well beyond abortifacients.

For example, what will their rationalization be when health care is restricted for certain citizens deemed “unworthy” of communal resources? When the Death Panel begins imposing rules and regulations upon the people of Idaho?

The Catholic Church has long taught the doctrine of refusing to cooperate with evil. It is indisputable that much evil is loose in ObamaCare – which is more about imposing a foreign value system than it is health care. But it seems that Catholic Charities is blinded by a different doctrine – a “social justice” agenda that is often nothing more than whitewash for social activists at war with traditional Catholic values.

The Lord himself declared that we cannot serve God and mammon.

The following testimony was delivered by David Ripley on behalf of Idaho Chooses Life before the House Health & Welfare Committee on March 7th:

MR. CHAIRMAN … MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE…

I RISE TO OPPOSE HB 248.

THE FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM WITH THE LEGISLATION IS THAT IT IMPLEMENTS OBAMACARE.

THE SO-CALLED “AFFORDABLE CARE ACT” HAS ALREADY BUILT A PILE OF BROKEN PROMISES, GUARANTEED TO GET LARGER AS THE ENTIRE LAW TAKES ROOT. BUT THERE ARE OTHERS HERE WHO CAN ADDRESS MANY OF THOSE ISSUES, PARTICULARLY THE HORRENDOUS FINANCIAL BURDENS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ATTEMPT TO REVAMP AMERICAN SOCIETY AND ITS ECONOMY.

I WILL CONCENTRATE ON THE GRAVE THREAT THIS FEDERAL LEGISLATION POSES TO THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE. IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I WILL JUST SUMMARIZE THE POINTS MADE BY THE BOARD OF IDAHO CHOOSES LIFE IN THE RESOLUTION JUST DISTRIBUTED:

A STATE INSURANCE EXCHANGE IS THE FUNDAMENTAL BUILDING BLOCK OF OBAMACARE.

BURIED WITHIN THE FEDERAL LEGISLATION IS A RIVER OF TAX MONEY TO SUBSIDIZE THE ABORTION INDUSTRY, AS WELL AS ABORTIONS THEMSELVES.

THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT ALSO CONTAINS PROVISIONS FOR A 15 MEMBER PANEL WITH ENORMOUS POWERS TO RATION HEALTH CARE FOR THE DISABLED, SENIORS AND THOSE DEEMED AN UNWORTHY SOCIAL BURDEN.

THE FEDERALIZATION OF HEALTH CARE POSES A SERIOUS THREAT TO CONSCIENCE RIGHTS OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS – AS WELL AS TAXPAYERS, EMPLOYERS AND CHURCHES.THAT BECAME EVIDENT FROM THE OBAMA MANDATE TO PROVIDE “FREE” ABORTIFACIENTS.

WE FEAR IT IS BUT THE BEGINNING OF A WIDE ASSAULT ON THE 1ST AMENDMENT.

WE ALSO SEE AN UNPRECEDENTED THREAT TO PERSONAL LIBERTY BY THE COLLECTION OF MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF PERSONAL AND INTIMATE FAMILY DATA. NEITHER THE ACA NOR THE BILL BEFORE YOU PROVIDES ANY REASONABLE SAFEGUARDS TO PROTECT THE RELIGIOUS AND PERSONAL LIBERTIES OF THOSE WHO USE AN EXCHANGE TO PURCHASE INSURANCE — WHETHER BY ENTICEMENT OR UNDER COERCION.

THERE ARE THOSE WHO CLAIM THAT THE ACA IS NOW THE “LAW OF THE LAND” AND THAT WE MUST SUBMIT. IF WE ARE COMPLIANT, PERHAPS OUR NEW FEDERAL MASTERS WILL ALLOW US TO MAKE HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS FROM TIME TO TIME. CURB ONE EXCESS OR ANOTHER.

TO THAT I WOULD ANSWER THAT THE EXISTING MEDICAID PROGRAM OFFERS US ALL THE EVIDENCE WE NEED OF WHAT WE CAN REASONABLY EXPECT AS WILLING SUPPLICANTS IN A “PARTNERSHIP” WITH AN OVERBEARING FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

I WOULD ALSO SUBMIT THAT THE ACA IS NOT YET THE LAW OF THE LAND. NOT THIS LAND, ANYWAY. IT WILL NOT BECOME THE LAW OF IDAHO UNTIL AND UNLESS THE IDAHO LEGISLATURE SANCTIONS IT AND LEGITIMIZES IT.

OF COURSE YOU ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SPECIFIC PROVISIONS OF OBAMACARE. BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT THIS LEGISLATION. YOUR VOTE FOR HB 248 ENABLES IT TO BECOME THE LAW OF IDAHO. YOU WILL THEREBY BECOME RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FEDERAL RULES AS THEY EXIST TODAY … AND WHATEVER OUTRAGEOUS THINGS SECRETARY SEBELIUS DECIDES TO IMPOSE UPON IDAHO CITIZENS IN THE MONTHS AND YEARS TO COME.

MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, WE ASK THAT YOU REJECT THIS BILL.

The following guest opinion by Rep. Lenore Barrett appeared in the Idaho Statesman on Tuesday:

Where would we be today if David had looked up at Goliath and said, “Whoa! I ain’t takin’ on this dude!”

Well, David showed up at the American Revolution, and the rest is history. It only took 236 years, but we finally forgot the roots that gave us wings. The power of the “Crown” still dwells amongst us. Only the names have changed. God is being mocked, and sacred honor goes to the highest bidder.

Sovereign states have become tiny fish in a big federal puddle and can’t see the hook obscured by the fat, federal worm. Why, if your car stalls on the track in front of an oncoming train, would you not get out? America is a country in decline; and, since misery loves company, the federal government wants state government to join it on the way down!

So, what is happening at the Idaho Statehouse? Depends on who you ask!S1042 (Idaho Healthcare Exchange) sailed through the Senate and is docked in the House Health and Welfare Committee, where it will get a new shade of lipstick on the same old money-sucking mouth.

House freshmen want to sugar coat (amend) it and make it more palatable, or they won’t support it; however, if you sugar coat a cyanide pill, you’ll still be dead. Make no mistake, this is a sovereignty issue. Idaho passed a Health Care Freedom Act, joined in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Obamacare, and the Idaho Republican Party, by resolution, has repudiated the state exchange, as has the Idaho Farm Bureau and a majority of right-thinking Idaho voters; but, the “Crown” moves amongst us and extols the delight of savoring that fat, juicy worm obscuring the deadly hook.

Over half the states in the Union have rejected state/federal exchanges. They understand that the state will be nothing more than a federal flunky, with or without amendments to the contrary. If the House passes S1042, it will enable the federal government to move forward with Obamacare. So much for State Sovereignty!

The Heritage Foundation suggests that if the feds are stuck with it, they will fail and the whole exercise will implode. No more Obamacare! Only if the state pays the bills, enforces the regulations/rules and submits to the IRS, can the feds succeed; but, the feds can’t succeed with this unconstitutional activity unless the Idaho Legislature acquiesces. There ARE other options, but we must first rid ourselves of this federal healthcare albatross around our neck.

If anyone gets to read this, S1042 may well be fait accompli. So, save it for “I told you so!”

The Idaho Statesman reported over the weekend that Blue Cross is now sitting atop some $500 million in cash reserves. That is nearly double the amount of money it had on hand when Barack Obama was first elected in 2008.

Blue Cross officials said they were building the cash to deal with the various costs of ObamaCare.

But the simple truth is they are making record amounts of money. In most business circumstances, one would call this pile of money what it is: profit. But in this case, given the special privileges and market power that Blue Cross enjoys, company officials prefer to call this pile of money a “savings” account.

These profits come, of course, from the excess of premiums charged business owners, government and families. Those premiums have been increasing rapidly under the cover of ObamaCare. It is hard to avoid the conclusion that Blue Cross has been taking advantage of the mass confusion over ObamaCare to do a little pillaging of Idaho households.

That pillaging appears headed toward even greater levels given the fact that the Idaho Legislature is poised to impose ObamaCare upon the people of Idaho.

One would hope that state representatives would take a deep breath and look at these staggering profits before going even deeper into protecting Blue Cross with an insurance exchange. And, regardless of anything else you’ve heard – the heart of the exchange debate going on at the Statehouse is protecting Blue Cross’ dominant market share.

Here is a link to the Statesman story.

President Obama has become a master of manipulation. When confronted with opposition, he enlists the MSM to deliver his version of contorted reality without scrutiny. We saw another stage production just this week when the Idaho media reported on Obama’s message that he will hurt Idaho kids, seniors, travelers, military personnel – unless Congress capitulates again to tax increases.

Under the guise of implementing the “sequester” – Obama says he will cut $3.7 million in federal funds to schools. Particularly hard hit will be those children with disabilities. Funding for Mountain Home Air Base will be cut. Grants for law enforcement, kids’ vaccines, and even a program to help women caught up in domestic violence will suffer because Barack Obama says they must. They must suffer to make Republicans pay and repent of their obsession with fiscal responsibility.

Why do we talk about this?

By our count, Obama is threatening to stop something like $15 million in federal funds from going to Idaho if the sequester happens later this week.

Here’s another idea: The Idaho Senate just approved a plan to implement an insurance exchange as part of Obama’s plan to impose health care “reform” on the people of Idaho. A program no one but Blue Cross wants. Attached to the bill is a $30 million federal grant.

How about we tell Obama to keep his $30 million, and keep the change to pay down the deficit – so long as he promises to leave us alone? So long as he stops using our tax dollars to impose ugly social policies upon the people of this state, so long as he ends his war on our religious freedom?

And why hasn’t Dan Popkey or other media personalities commented on the expansion of federal “aid” to Idaho at a time when Obama is threatening to slash spending in other areas already dependent upon the Santa Claus on Pennsylvania Avenue? For that matter – why haven’t members of the Idaho Legislature taken notice of this tragic irony?

The Idaho Senate has decided to follow Governor Otter’s recommendation that his state government cooperate with the Obama Regime in implementing ObamaCare. The battle to preserve liberty now shifts to the Idaho House, where lobbyists for the insurance industry have been working hard to charm, cajole and corral the large class of freshmen legislators.

It would be easy to use this page to vent. Let’s limit the matter for now to an expression of disappointment in the majority of Republican senators who determined that cooperation with the Obama Administration was our only course.

Instead, let us celebrate and acknowledge the patriots who stood all day on the Senate floor defending the Constitution, the cherished value of limited government and individual liberty. And honor the fight they made to defend the sanctity of human life.

Sen. Monty Pearce read from the Federalist Papers, trying to turn the Senate’s gaze back to a more heroic age, one in which men risked their very lives to resist tyranny.

Sen. Curt McKenzie gave one of the most eloquent and briefest arguments against submitting to the plans of Barack Obama to remake America. He said that he understood the “Affordable Care Act” to be unconstitutional and he could not in good conscience help advance its implantation in Idaho.

He hit upon the very core question before the Legislature: Shall we cooperate with the evil that is ObamaCare?

Sen. Cliff Bayer argued that buried in the fine print of the legislation was language which stated that the Idaho insurance exchange will comply with “all applicable law” – meaning, of course, that Idaho will be bound to implement the regulations and policies of the Obama Administration. Those that exist today, and those yet to be imagined by the likes of Kathleen Sebelius.

Sen. Russ Fulcher, who has been a stalwart leader of the conservative opposition, took his turn on the floor to urge rejection of SB1042:

“Supporters of SB1042 have indicated they want to resist ObamaCare. In my opinion, what that says is we’re going to resist by complying, or we’re going to resist by doing what they tell us to do.”

They were joined by Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll, who tested the proposition of resisting ObamaCare by asking the Senate to amend the bill. She wanted our language protecting the religious liberty rights of Idaho citizens and employers embedded into the act creating a state insurance exchange:

“The exchange shall respect the religious and conscience liberties of Idaho citizens, employers, churches and religious organizations. No health benefit plan offered through the exchange shall require the purchase or provision of benefits which include sterilization, contraceptives, abortifacients or drugs or devices which act as abortifacients, emergency contraception or surgical abortions.”

Unfortunately, her attempt to amend the bill was rejected by a majority of Senate Republicans, who stood on procedural grounds to avoid the profound question by the amendment: If Idaho is creating a state exchange in order to “resist” the federal government – then what more basic rights are there but the right to life and the right to freedom of religion?

Republicans Cliff Bayer, Russ Fulcher, Dan Johnson, Curt McKenzie, Dean Mortimer, Bob Nonini, Monty Pearce, Steven Thayn and Steve Vick stood with Sen. Nuxoll and the pro-Life movement to support the amendment. A lone and courageous Democrat, Sen. Branden Durst, joined them.

A number of historically pro-Life members of the Senate voted against the amendment on procedural grounds. During debate of the motion, numerous references were made to support for a “trailer bill” which would incorporate the religious liberty language. We’ll have to see how those promises bear out.

The language of our amendment was overwhelmingly supported last year – when the Legislature passed SJM 104 in response to the Obama Mandate on contraception and abortifacients. But that was largely a feel good measure consisting of sending President Obama a strongly worded letter defending religious freedom.

One is tempted to be discouraged and conclude that for some, pro-Life principles are good for campaigns and fine when it doesn’t really matter. But that is probably the wrong view. There is time yet in this session for getting language in the state exchange bill which would put teeth into those pro-Life principles – language which would prevent the state from using its police powers to enforce Obama’s anti-Life agenda upon Idaho citizens.

Now we turn our attention to the Idaho House. And let us celebrate the vision and courage of those righteous dozen who waged battle on the Senate floor for our children and grandchildren.

And pray that the Lord raises up more such men and women.

The Idaho Senate will consider SB1042 this week. This legislation will implement ObamaCare in the state through the creation of an insurance exchange.

Idaho Chooses Life opposes this legislation because it will facilitate ObamaCare – which threatens to produce the greatest explosion in abortions since the Roe decision.

Many legislators we have visited with seem rather oblivious to the dire pro-Life implications of cooperating with the Obama Administration in this scheme, arguing that ObamaCare is now the “Law of the Land”. We urge the citizens of Idaho to weigh in on this matter: From the outset, this nation was built on the concept of citizen sovereignty and a little principle called “consent of the governed”.

Polling in Idaho has demonstrated that Idaho citizens are in no mood to consent to what the Insurance Industry is peddling.

And as for the fatalistic argument that we have fought ObamaCare long enough and must now submit to reality: We have been fighting the Insurance Lobby at the Statehouse for the past 3 years on ObamaCare. They are by no means the reluctant patriots their PR campaign would have you and legislators believe. Rather, they are part of the original conspiracy – having been part of the strategy and bill writing back in the days of Nancy Pelosi. Make no mistake: Blue Cross wants ObamaCare because they believe it will be good for their company and profit margin.

There was a day in America when you could hear the expression, “What is good for GM is good for America”.

The atmosphere at the Statehouse these days seems clouded by the notion that what is good for Blue Cross is good for Idaho.

Hopefully your phone calls and emails will help pierce that fog.

And, hopefully we can find enough leaders in the Idaho Senate with vision to understand that we must continue to resist. For the Scripture tells us that where there is no vision, the people perish.