Right vote, wrong reason

Bob Etheridge cast the correct vote on a federal health care bill. He did it for the wrong reason. Besides the cost burden being based upon tobacco taxes and the subsequent effect on farmers, the bill is UNCONSTITUTIONAL and should have been voted down anyway. Unfortunately, Etheridge supports the concept of federally funded health care, just not this particular method of funding. Sorry, but I don't see it in the US Constitution that the federal government is authorized to fund or support such a program.

From WMPM's web site:

Congressman Says NC Farm Families Would Carry Burden Of Federal Health Care Bill - Congressman Bob Etheridge says North Carolina farm families shouldn’t carry the burden of funding a federal health care bill. Etheridge voted against the legislation this week, but it passed the full US House by a vote of 265 to 159. The State Children’s Health Insurance Program would be funded solely through a 61 cents tobacco tax increase. Although Etheridge said he supports funding the insurance program, he was against it being funded entirely by tobacco taxes. The legislation would cost North Carolina $540 million a year through the tax’s indirect economic impact on the state, yet North Carolina would only receive $316 million from the insurance program under the bill in 2008. “I wish I could support this bill to make sure that children receive the health care they need. However, as the bill stands, I must vote no today, and hope that we can come up with a better, more balanced plan in the future,” Etheridge said. President Bush has threatened to veto the bill.