Kroger & Kulongoski to defend health reform law in court
Kari Chisholm
Now that 14 state attorneys general have filed lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the new health reform law, Oregon's AG John Kroger and Governor (and former AG) Ted Kulongoski have announced their plans to defend the new law.
Oregon Attorney General John Kroger could be headed for the most high-profile legal fight of his career, vowing to defend the national health care overhaul that many of his Republican counterparts around the nation are attacking in the courts.The first-term Democratic attorney general and Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski, a former state Supreme Court justice, announced Wednesday that the Beaver State will take legal action to defend the constitutionality of the nearly $1 trillion health care bill signed by President Barack Obama last week.
Kroger is the first state attorney general to announce that he will take steps to defend the law ...
"Opponents of the bill seek to turn back the constitutional clock 100 years, returning to a time when the United States Supreme Court routinely struck down legislation designed to protect the health, safety and well-being of the American people," Kroger said. ...
"I'm proud to have Oregon stand up in court and defend this legislation, which will extend health care to thousands of Oregonians and millions of uninsured Americans," Kulongoski said.
Discuss.
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4:31 p.m.
Mar 31, '10
Anyone have an idea what it means to "take legal action" in this case? Is this just a friend of the court brief or something else?
Mar 31, '10
yeah, I'm wondering what that actually means too. Are they going to sue the 14 states that are filing suit? That could be fun.
Apr 1, '10
When our death with dignity and medical marijuana laws are attacked by this leg it will be their duty to defend the legally enacted will of the people of Oregon, not provide muscle for the Administration. That should be what you think of first, and this should come a distant second.
Apr 1, '10
I just worry about the financial committment we are making to a court case that the feds are already defending. Why are we spending money on soemthing we do not need to spend moeny on? What budget is this money coming from?
8:08 a.m.
Apr 1, '10
OK so OPB said that it is a friend of the court brief. That means some lawyer time doing some research and writing, but no great $ commitment. A very reasonable approach and one that should encourage other states to do the same. Happens all the time, but Kroger is out front on this issue. Good to see.
Apr 1, '10
Imagine that Tird Kulongoski finding another stupid way to waste our tax dollars. How do these two mental hosptial escapees think it is o.k. to spend state tax dollars to defend a federal issue.
Hopefully in November Oregonians will start to elect some representative that will for the good of the people of thist state, and worj=k to bring jobs back to Oregon
Apr 1, '10
Another in a long line of really stupid ideas from Sleepy Ted Kulongoski and company. He is one of the worst governors you could imagine having. He has done nothing to help with loss of jobs in Oregon. THe losses came from Kulongoski chasing companies out of the state. If this guy was paid for the days that he actually worked, he would have been paid for less than 5 days.
Apr 1, '10
I am surprised by waht has been posted by some on this subject. This Health care bill is unconstitutional and should be struck down now. Showing support for the ignorant leadship in this state should not be happening. The government does not have the right to force people to purchase goods or services just for being American. Next we will be forced to buy cars from Obama Motors, and bank with government owned banks. We cannot allow the Federal government to steal these rights from us.
2:51 p.m.
Apr 1, '10
Anyone have an idea what it means to "take legal action" in this case? Is this just a friend of the court brief or something else?
In the follow-up, Kroger's spokesman said it was an amicus brief, but wasn't ruling out something bigger:
Apr 2, '10
If you actually care to understand the reality of why this action by Kulongoski and Kroger would be the worst possible action if you really want to see a publicly-owned alternative to a purely private health insurance based system in Oregon:
The history of grassroots efforts in Oregon since 2007 that resulted in the Oregon Health Fund Board including legislative language in HB2009 charging the OHA to design a publicly owned plan.
The progressive argument why Kroger should be filing federal suit to strike down the mandate WITHOUT a public option rather than defending corporate welfare and undermining Oregon's attempt to create a sustainable publicly-owned alternative.
Apr 3, '10
Posted by: Ethyl | Apr 1, 2010 8:55:53 AM
Another in a long line of really stupid ideas from Sleepy Ted Kulongoski and company. He is one of the worst governors you could imagine having. He has done nothing to help with loss of jobs in Oregon. THe losses came from Kulongoski chasing companies out of the state. If this guy was paid for the days that he actually worked, he would have been paid for less than 5 days.
I kept waiting for the spam link! Seriously, that had to be written from someone trolling for a reaction. That's what I can't stand the most about the TEA groups. You're all fired up? Great, tell your neighborhood committee and then City Hall, and then, if your ideas have any credence think about the state level. That's grassroots. This, get fired up by Glenn, then write a check against a ballot measure in Wisconsin, is a travesty. Isn't that exactly what they accuse the NWO of doing to the US? Bottom line, are they actually telling people to go out and troll political blogs? I had assumed that was simply the inspiration of isolated dittoheads. The IDs have a pattern. It's always a common first name, and then they switch genders. You know they're most all gen X males. Would that Ronald Reagan had been Herod.
Apr 3, '10
And yesterday VA's gov signed into law some whacky state regulation exempting Virginia state citizens from mandatory health care enrollment or some such interesting reflexive action.
Apr 3, '10
Thanks Gov, with your guidance and help we have archived top national marks.
"The Portland area ranked No. 6 in the country in the fourth quarter for commercial bankruptcy filings, according to a new report. The rest of the state ranked No. 12."
<h2>Again we are glad we could hire all those state employees?</h2>