Health care: Challenge Minnesota’s “Opt in,” Obamacare, frankly, its unconstitutional, and we need to push back against the federal government on this and other issues.

We make better decisions for our care than mandates and bureaucrats.

In the closed-door negotiations to hold the line on taxes and balance the state’s budget last session Democrats prevailed in their demands to include an “opt in” provision to Obamacare.

And so, the next governor will have the power to “opt” Minnesota “in” earlier than other states and enroll us onto the federal health care roll at irresponsibly high costs. The arrogance of this maneuver is proof of how a runaway government tramples over decisions that must be left to the people. It won't save us money, nationally or individually. Instead, it will increase insurance premiums, raise taxes, depress wages, siphon jobs, explode the deficit, reduce our living standards, restrict our access to health care, rob us of privacy and erode our personal liberty.

It ignores the many nation-leading reforms Minnesota has put forth to improve health care delivery and to contain exploding costs: efforts to cut pointless state mandates that force family insurance premiums up; greater flexibility for small businesses to find affordable insurance for their employees; greater consumer competition across state lines; medical liability reform; increased use of Health Savings Accounts; and incentives to help families care for their elderly.

We can support the Health Care Freedom Act to preserve our right to make our own health care, doctor and health insurance choices.

Instead of colluding with federal mandates, Minnesota should join the many states that have filed lawsuits to protect their citizens from implementation of Obamacare. Americans cannot be required under the Constitution to obtain insurance coverage.

Health care cannot be about an entirely new level of government restrictions on individuals. It should never limit the rights of patients to control their care in consultation with their physicians. It cannot be about enlarging the state and allowing government to regulate you just because “you exist,” and at the expense of your freedom.

If this is allowed, where does it stop?