Today there will be some important ballot initiatives voted on
in Ohio. (Matt Naugle wrote
about them for the main site.) The question concerning Gov. John
Kasich's public sector collective bargaining restrictions will
understandably get a lot of ink. But the initiative on the
individual mandate for health insurance also bears watching.
Put simply, this may be the last referendum on health care
before the Supreme Court weighs in. Like the constitutional
challenges to Obamacare, it focuses on the individual mandate. If
the initiative passes, any law requiring Ohioans to buy health
insurance will violate the state constitution. Supporters hope it
will give Ohio greater standing to challenge the law. It will
certainly contribute to whether or not Supreme Court justices view
this as a settled issue.
There are also longer-term political implications. Ohio is a key
state for the reelection prospects fro President Obama. Democratic
Sen. Sherrod Brown is also up next November. Issue 3 has
implications for Republicans too: it forbids not just Obamacare,
but the Romneycare on which it is based (note Mitt Romney's recent
reluctance to endorse the initiative). Newt Gingrich also has a
history of supporting the individual mandate.
Poll worker| 11.8.11 @ 9:16PM
The precinct where I work in Ohio voted for the constitutional amendment against Obamacare. Thats all I know at this point.
Paul| 11.8.11 @ 10:16PM
Ohio voted Against ObamaCare mandate.