Alaska Gov Sean Parnell Cowers To Ruling Of Unelected Judge, Refuses To Implement Health Law
The Associated Press is reporting that Alaska Governor Sean Parnell (R) — who is the only governor not to apply for a federal Health Insurance Exchange Planning Grant, which funds the preparations for an online exchange — will not enact the federal health care overhaul “after a judge in Florida struck down the law as unconstitutional“:

Parnell, who sought the advice of his attorney general amid concerns implementing the law would violate his oath of office, told the Juneau Chamber of Commerce the state would pursue lawful, market-based solutions to making insurance affordable and accessible to Alaskans.

He said the Florida judge’s ruling is the law of the land, as it pertains to Alaska, barring implementation of the federal law here. He said the state will pursue options of its own instead.

Failing to implement the law or establish an exchange would require the federal government to step in and offer Alaskans coverage through a federal-based insurance exchange. Funding for a federal exchange — which will cost $235.9 million — is part of the administration’s FY 2012 budget request.

Parnell is the only anti-reform governor who is using his opposition to the Affordable Care Act to prevent his state from applying for federal grants to help regulators police unreasonable insurance health premiums, plan for the exchanges, and most other grants (Alaskan businesses and seniors are taking advantage of the law, however). A number of the other 25 states that are part of the multi-state challenge have sent back a portion of the federal grants, but all have accepted a far greater portion of the early benefits of reform.

Alaska, meanwhile, is suffering from a fairly severe health care crisis and would stand to benefit from the aforementioned grants to employers and regulators. Nineteen percent of Alaskans and 12 percent of children are without insurance coverage and the state’s health care costs tend to grow faster than the national average.

http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2011/02/17/parnell-implementation/

Sean Parnell is a hero!

You are beating a dead horse, I personally don't know one person who supports forced health insurance. It will be deemed null and void by the SCOTUS!

Actual truth...

another Republican Governor following the will of the people...

and not doing your will.

lots more people out there than you.

Actually, in this case we have one of those rare instances in which a governor upholds his oath to protect the state residents from federal encroachment on their liberties. Nicely done, Mr Parnell.

The Alaskans can just scoot over the border to canada like the Palin family did for healthcare.

Political Insider When Sarah Palin sampled Canada’s health care system
11:13 am March 9, 2010, by jgalloway

Sarah Palin went to Canada, where she confessed that, as a child, she and her Alaskan family sampled that nation’s health care system.

Said Palin:

“My first five years of life we spent in Skagway, Alaska, right there by Whitehorse. Believe it or not – this was in the ‘60s – we used to hustle on over the border for health care that we would receive in Whitehorse. I remember my brother, he burned his ankle in some little kid accident thing and my parents had to put him on a train and rush him over to Whitehorse and I think, isn’t that kind of ironic now. Zooming over the border, getting health care from Canada.”
http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2010/03/09/when-sarah-palin-sampled-canadas-health-care-system/?cxntfid=blogs_political_insider_jim_galloway

Alaska is extremely sparsely populated in the Eastern part of the state. There are many areas where the only emergency medical facilities for hundreds of miles are across the border in Canada. The Canadians are perfectly aware that the Alaskans come to them for medical care and are proud to help because they know, in other areas, Americans help the Canadians.

spin baby spin

It is just the truth. What part of it do you think is spin?

A person would have to go to Alaska to understand the remote conditions that exist in some parts.

It's not just Alaska where people find the medical facilities closer in Canada sometimes.

Just about any Northern Border State has places where it quicker to just jump across the border.