Dave Donaldson, APRN – Juneau
Governor Parnell is looking at ways to bypass implementation of the federal health care act. He says he has requested advice from the Attorney General on what steps he can take in response to a federal court’s decision last week in Florida that found the law unconstitutional.
He says the decision in the case, to which Alaska was a party, requires him to follow his oath of office and support the Constitution.
“Right now, the law of the land – as stated by the district court – is that entire law is unconstitutional,” Parnell said. “So I’m caught between a federal government that says you must pursue this, and I have the duty to uphold the rule of law.”
“So I’m asking the attorney general ‘What does that duty look like given this court ruling.’”
Parnell points to the “individual mandate” provisions of the law that requires universal health insurance. He says he has not pursued that mandate and will not do so until he gets input from the attorney general.
Photo by Josh Edge, APRN – Anchorage: Governor Sean Parnell speaks with reporters in October 2010.
