Articles

Author: Daniel Himebaugh A big story is developing in the Pacific Northwest this week, following passage of President Obama's health insurance overhaul.  MYNorthwest.com reports that Washington State Governor Chris Gregoire is fuming over Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna's decision to join a lawsuit which seeks to invalidate po ...

Author: Daniel Himebaugh No one likes to talk about taxes or Congress.  Test me on this.  The next time you're fumbling for a conversation starter, try opening with, "So how about Congress's power to tax and spend?"  And enjoy the silence. Maybe Congress's taxing power isn't the best topic for small talk, ...

The Obama Administration’s health care legislation raises compelling questions about the limits of federal power. The requirement on individuals to buy health insurance, for example, negates the freedom not to buy a designated product, and pushes beyond a reasonable understanding of federal authority to regulate interstate commerce. PLF alrea ...

Author: Joshua Thompson In respsonse to PLF’s announcement on this blog that it will fight “Obamacare,” a commenter writes, “Society has chosen that health care is a right. All members of society must participate as no one can afford catastrophic health care unless you are very, very rich.” Is that true —  Can  ...

Let us suppose that at the end of the day the Individual Mandate provision of the new health care legislation is struck down as unconstitutional. What have we accomplished? For starters we will have won a Commerce Clause challenge, which would be noteworthy in itself. This would make clear that there are real limitations on the … ...

Author: Joshua Thompson One of PLF’s immensely talented summer law clerks, Lana Harfoush, created this political cartoon: … ...

Author: Daniel Himebaugh A federal district court denied the federal government’s motion to dismiss the State of Virginia’s lawsuit challenging the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act today, citing the need to resolve the “complex constitutional issues” that the case presents. On the issue of jurisdiction, the court f ...

Author: Daniel Himebaugh Fox News' On the Record has posted this video, in which attorneys representing Utah, Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana discuss their impressions of Tuesday's hearing on the motion to dismiss the states' suit against the new federal health care law. PLF is representing Matt Sissel, an Iowa City business owner, in a ...

Pacific Legal Foundation is pleased to announce its new “NO to Government Mandated Health Care” bumper stickers and t-shirts! PLF is currently litigating against the national health care mandate on behalf of Matt Sissel, a former Iraq war medic and now a small businessman in Iowa City, Iowa.  Show your support for Matt and for … ...