CCTA ACTION ALERT: ObamaCare State Exchange

The week before last, lame-duck Governor Bev Perdue found a way to throw North Carolinians under the bus one last time before leaving office.

As the deadline closed in for states to decide whether to help implement ObamaCare Exchanges or tell the Feds to take a hike, she buckled to pressure from the Left and decided to split the difference. She accepted $73.5 million in federal grant money to set up a hybrid state/federal-run ObamaCare Exchange in North Carolina.

While the U.S. Supreme Court found the individual mandate to purchase insurance Constitutional – albeit reclassified as a tax – they also found that the federal government cannot force states to comply with federal mandates on the threat of losing existing federal funding. The court said that, "the legitimacy of Congress's exercise of the spending power...rests on whether the State voluntarily and knowingly accepts the terms of the contract." (Emphasis added.) They went on to confirm that states have the right as independent sovereigns to refuse to act on federal mandates they do not like.

If a state simply refuses to accept federal mandates (and the associated “bribe” money) to implement ObamaCare Exchanges, as the court explicitly affirms is within its power, the entire law would collapse upon itself.

Republican governors such as Rick Perry of Texas, Scott Walker of Wisconsin, Paul LePage of Maine, and Nikki Haley of South Carolina have refused to accept the federal bribe money and told the Feds to take a hike. In a letter to the Obama Administration, Governor LePage wrote:

“The [federal health reform law] is full of federal mandates; as such, even a state-based health insurance exchange is actually controlled by the federal government. In the end, a state exchange puts the burden onto the states and the expense onto our taxpayers, without giving the state the authority and flexibility we must have to best meet the needs of the people of Maine.”

Governor Perdue said that she chose a state-hybrid exchange for North Carolina so that Governor-elect Pat McCrory and the incoming Republican supermajority General Assembly can make changes to the exchange if they want to. Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger said that Governor Perdue should not have acted, but that he didn't mind her applying for federal Obamacare money, “as long as it does not frivolously spend the tax dollars until the new leaders determine the next steps.”

Say what?

Even more disturbing, while Governor-elect Pat McCrory said he found many aspects of a state-run ObamaCare Exchange troubling, he's hedging his bets and refusing to say outright that he will give back the ObamaCare bribe money once he's sworn in and refuse to go along with the President's healthcare takeover. Instead, he said, “Governor Perdue’s decision leaves flexibility for North Carolina in the future when it comes to the delivery of health care...“I will be discussing this with more governors today, and will continue those discussions in the coming weeks to ensure the best results for North Carolina.”

I don't know about you, but I get nervous when politicians start talking about "flexibility."

Here's the problem: North Carolina and every other state that accepted ObamaCare bribe money are bound, under the law, to cooperate with the implementation of an ObamaCare Exchange so long as they keep the money. The only way to refuse to go along with ObamaCare is to refuse the bribe.

We need to hear from Pat McCrory, Thom Tillis, and Phil Berger TODAY a firm commitment that they will DEFINITELY return the $73.5 million bribe that Bev Perdue took and we need to know what date we can expect that to happen. Anything less firm than that is nothing but mealy-mouthed stalling for time.

House Speaker Thom Tillis, Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, and Governor-elect Pat McCrory need to hear from you immediately! Call right away and remind them not to “voluntarily and knowingly” succumb to the national takeover of your health care. Ask when they intend to give back the ObamaCare bribe money! House Speaker Thom Thillis: (919)733-3451 Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger: (919)733-5708 Governor-elect Pat McCrory: media@patmccrory.com.

Insist that they refuse to build an insurance exchange as called for in ObamaCare. We elected a Republican governor and a Republican supermajority to the General Assembly. They have the responsibility AND the numbers to flatly refuse to have any part in implementing ObamaCare in North Carolina. Step 1 in protecting us from Obama's takeover scheme is to give back his bribe money! Tell them you expect nothing less!

In Liberty,
Adam Love
State Coordinator North Carolina Campaign for Liberty

P.S. Two weeks ago, Lame-duck Governor Bev Perdue accepted $73.5 million in federal bribe money to implement ObamaCare in NC. So far, Governor-elect Pat McCrory, House Speaker Thom Tillis, and Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger haven't said when they plan to give it back! Contact them today and demand to know when they plan to return the ObamaCare bribe money and say NO! to cooperating with ObamaCare in NC!

Contact them today at:

House Speaker Thom Tillis: (919)733-3451
Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger: (919)733-5708
Governor-elect Pat McCrory: media@patmccrory.com

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