Where Does South Dakota REALLY Stand on ObamaCare?
Mixed signals from the Daugaard administration and the South Dakota Legislature beg the question: Where does South Dakota REALLY stand on ObamaCare?
South Dakota did join the 26 states challenging the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) which is now scheduled for review by the US Supreme Court. But in 2011, the SD Legislature passed, with the support of Governor Daugaard, SB 38 and SB 43 which paved the way for the establishment of the healthcare exchanges necessary to implement ObamaCare.
In the 2012 SD Legislative session now underway, attempts to repeal SB 38 (2011) and SB 43 (2011) have been defeated in committee with the active support of the Daugaard administration. A SD lawmaker, after testifying against a bill that would have repealed last year’s bills, was heard saying that she was just reading from Lieutenant Governor Matt Michels’ talking points. But Governor Daugaard says he is opposed to ObamaCare and hopes that it is declared unconstitutional.
The latest Obama administration assault on religious liberty through a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rule (in PPACA) that orders faith-based groups to cover abortion drugs and contraception is triggering a nationwide revolt, but no such revolt is noted in South Dakota.
Wyoming,Pennsylvania,Michigan,New Hampshire,OhioandIdaho, voters are urging state houses to push back. Where is the outrage inSouth Dakota?
Even the US Congress is attempting to correct the policy. Earlier this afternoon, Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) held a press conference for his Respect for Rights of Conscience Act (H.R. 1179/S. 1467), which already has 190 bipartisan supporters.
The silence from Pierre is deafening.
The conflicting signals from the Daugaard administration are telling.
***Ed Randazzo, is a nationally syndicated author. He has been a conservative activist and consultant for over 30 years and is currently the Chief News Editor of Life and Liberty Media***
This shouldn’t surprise us at all given the fact that 48 current legislators AND the governor took campaign money in amounts ranging from $250.00 up to $ 7500.00 from a Political Action Committee run by the American Hospital Association — an organization that fully backed Obama-care.