Idaho Health Care Freedom Act

From Eric Dondero:

While in Congress Otter was considered a "conservative with a libertarian streak." (Source: Ballotpedia) He racked up one of the most consistently fiscally conservative records in the House. He even identified himself with the libertarian label on occasion. And well-known amongst movement libertarian, Otter was a keynote speaker and attendee at Libertarian Party of Idaho state conventions in the early 1990s. He was also friends with a great many libertarian activists in the State such as the well-known (Steve) Symms family.

One of the most "libertarian Republican" elected officials

But it was in 2006, when Otter really caught on with libertarians. The newly-elected Governor was given a front page feature story in Reason Magazine, "Butch Otter Rides Again: Idaho' next governor demonstrates the possibilities--and limits--of libertarian politics in the Republican Party." The piece was written by David Weigel, (now with the Washington Independent).

An excerpt:

Butch Otter is a study in contradictions. After Ron Paul of Texas, he’s the most libertarian Republican in the entire caucus. Unlike Paul, he has libertarian victories on his legislative scorecard. In June 2003 he shocked the Bush administration by sponsoring an amendment to a funding bill that stripped out the money the FBI needed to conduct sneak-and-peek searches— that is, raiding a target’s home without issuing a notice to the target. It passed with 309 votes. In 2004 he fought hard to amend the PATRIOT Act to bar the government from searching bookstore and library records. The amendment almost passed, until Otter’s own party leadership held the vote open for an extra 23 minutes to twist arms and get Republicans to vote against it. He was bitter about that vote. “You win some, and some get stolen,” he told reporters.

During three and a half decades in politics, Otter has had his decisions overruled by everyone from Idaho legislators (on obscenity laws they wanted to pass) to his fellow House Republicans (on medical marijuana they wanted to ban) to President Ronald Reagan (on the drinking age his administration wanted to raise).

Otter emerges in the National Spotlight

Since his election,he's had various legislative battles. But nationally, he's kept a very low profile until now.

Unexpectedly, and on virtualy nobody's radar, Otter has been immediately thrust into the middle of the national health care debate. Late Wednesday evening, word broke in the national media (Drudge Report, Fox News, ect...), that the Governor had signed a letter requiring the State Attorney General to sue the Federal Government if Idaho residents are forced to participate in Obama's health care measure.

All eyes have been on Virginia. Republican state legislators introduced a bill to exempt Virginians from participating. State AG Ken Cucinnelli held a press conference to announce that he would sue the Feds if they forced Virginians into the program. But Otter is the first to sign it into law.

From Google News (via AP):

BOISE, Idaho — Idaho took the lead in a growing, nationwide fight against health care overhaul Wednesday when its governor became the first to sign a measure requiring the state attorney general to sue the federal government if residents are forced to buy health insurance.

Similar legislation is pending in 37 other states... the state measures reflect a growing frustration with President President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.

Otter, a Republican, said he believes any future lawsuit from Idaho has a legitimate shot of winning, despite what the naysayers say.

"The ivory tower folks will tell you, 'No, they're not going anywhere,' " he told reporters. "But I'll tell you what, you get 36 states, that's a critical mass. That's a constitutional mass."

Last week, Virginia legislators passed a measure similar to Idaho's new law, but Otter was the first state chief executive to sign such a bill...

In a press conference announcing his signature on the legislation Otter made the following statement (from USA Today):

"What the Idaho Health Freedom Act says is that the citizens of our state won't be subject to another federal mandate or turn over another part of their life to government control," Otter said, adding, "I put a real high priority on the sovereignty of the state of Idaho."

Photo state capitol in Boise.