<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><DIV>I have to agree that the government does not have the authority to compel you to participate in buying health Insurance or any product or service from a private company. Especially when it is such a rip-off and there is no regulation on what these insurance companies can collectively decide they want you to pay once you are required by to purchase it from them. They could charge $500-$1500 a month and you would have to pay it. If they wanted to tax you and provide access to health care that would be within their legal authority because that is what the government does.</DIV>
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<DIV> However, I don't agree with the wording of the bill that employers should be allowed to get away with not offering any health insurance without raising their minimum paid wages. You cannot afford health insurance on $7.25 an hour. Hell, you cannot even afford quality health insurance at $12.50 an hour working 50 hours a week when the government is skimming 40 cents on every dollar you sweat blood and tears to make. Employers should have some basic responsibility for the welfare of their employers especially when many employers put their employees at risk for lots of health problems. Working conditions need to be beyond third world standards here in Idaho. Idahoan workers deserve at least this much. Too bad the Governor of Idaho and the majority of the current legislature doesn't agree. </DIV>
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<DIV>Donovan Arnold<BR><BR>--- On <B>Wed, 2/16/11, Tom Hansen <I><thansen@moscow.com></I></B> wrote:<BR></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px"><BR>From: Tom Hansen <thansen@moscow.com><BR>Subject: [Vision2020] House Bill 117 - State Sovereignty - Federal Health Care . . .<BR>To: "Moscow Vision 2020" <vision2020@moscow.com><BR>Date: Wednesday, February 16, 2011, 11:43 AM<BR><BR>
<DIV class=plainMail>Has passed the Idaho House by a vote of 49-20.<BR><BR><A href="http://moscowcares.com/idaho/2011/HB0117_020911.htm" target=_blank>http://moscowcares.com/idaho/2011/HB0117_020911.htm</A><BR><BR>Tom Hansen<BR>Moscow, Idaho<BR><BR><BR><BR>"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change<BR>and the Realist adjusts his sails."<BR><BR>- Unknown<BR><BR><BR>=======================================================<BR>List services made available by First Step Internet, <BR>serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. <BR> <A href="http://www.fsr.net/" target=_blank>http://www.fsr.net</A> <BR> <SPAN><SPAN>mailto</SPAN></SPAN>:<A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Vision2020@moscow.com"
ymailto="mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com">Vision2020@moscow.com</A><BR>=======================================================<BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></td></tr></table><br>