In case you missed the news, amidst all the coverage of Governor Brian Schweitzer’s (D-MT) final round of bill signings: a Democratic Governor signed a bill rejecting Obamacare’s individual mandate in the State of Montana.
In a longer story covering the latest round of bill signings, Lee Newspapers’ Mike Dennison had this:
He (Gov Brian Schweitzer) also signed Senate Bill 125, by Sen. Art Wittich, R-Bozeman, that prohibits state government from administering the federal health reform law’s requirement that all citizens must have or buy health insurance by 2014.
Schweitzer had sent SB125 back to the Legislature with an amendatory veto that said he would sign the bill if the Legislature changed it to say the mandate will be enforced only if Congress creates the option of a government-run health coverage policy.
Lawmakers rejected that suggestion, but Schweitzer decided to sign the bill anyway.
Click here to read the full article.
Although he has not yet announced an official run, this also puts Attorney General Steve Bullock, the leading Democratic gubernatorial hopeful for 2012, in another bind. First, Bullock voted against developing the Otter Creek Coal Tracts- bringing in more than $80 million in initial state revenues. Governor Brian Schweitzer voted to develop the tracts.
Now Attorney General Steve Bullock, who refused to join the majority of Attorneys General across the country opposing the federal health care bill’s individual mandate, is faced with another bind as Montana’s current Democratic Governor signed a bill rejecting that mandate. While Gov. Schweitzer also opposed a bill that would have forced the AG to sign on to the lawsuit, the Governor still signed off on a bill that rejected the mandate. Bullock so far has done nothing.
With approval ratings topping the 60% mark, politicos are asking who the successor to this popular Democratic Governor may be. From health care to Otter Creek, that successor certainly doesn’t sound like the leading Democratic contender.