Hinkle fights Obama's plan

OLYMPIA — Rep. Bill Hinkle, R-Cle Elum, proposed a bill calling for an exemption of employers and workers from fines for not participating in a proposed national health care plan.

The bill is called “The Washington State Health Care Freedom Act of 2010.”

“An individual’s health care is a very personal matter,” Hinkle stated. “If the federal or state government wants to provide more choices and more freedom, fine. But the people should absolutely retain their rights – their freedom – to choose for themselves. Being forced into a health care system, or being fined for refusing to join, are not actions with which the great majority of people in our state and across the nation agree.”

The legislation prohibits any rules or laws pertaining to health care from directly or indirectly compelling anyone to participate in any type of health care system.

“Any federal law, rule, order, or other act by the federal government violating provisions of this section is hereby declared to be invalid in this state, is not recognized by and is specifically rejected by this state, and is considered as null and void and of no effect in this state,” according to the bill.

Hinkle stated his office was flooded with phone calls and e-mails from concerned citizens upset about the direction federal government is taking with health care reform.

“With the direction our federal government is heading, and with the continued usurpation of power and the peoples’ rights coming from Washington D.C., there is a need to be reminded of how our United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights view power and the rights of citizens,” Hinkle stated. “There is a growing grass-roots movement within our state and nation that is focusing on this principle. I commend them and encourage them to continue to hold elected officials accountable to the oaths of office we have all taken to uphold our state and national constitutions.”