GodBlessTheEstablishmentAs it so often does, the New York Times gave much-deserved credit to its readership’s intelligence Monday, with an article describing the brewing battle over health care “reform” at the state level as the work of insidious insurance lobbyists, who have apparently been plotting for years to derail the ever-shifting corporatist giveaway known as ObamaCare.

How else to explain the fact that “most” of the 42 legislators in Florida who support amending the state’s constitution to prevent federal insurance mandates, received what the Times considers to be “outsized” campaign contributions from “major health care interests?”

What’s worse is that these corporate shills have the nerve to do their dirty work in full view of the public, without even waiting for Christmas Eve, through measures that require significant popular support at the ballot box.

And get this:

In Florida…the state medical association has become an especially important backer of the proposed amendment. In contrast to the national American Medical Association, the state chapter has come out firmly against the current Congressional proposals, and a spokeswoman said the Florida group had embraced the proposed state amendment “to protect Florida from being forced into a federal government mandate that would hurt patients.”

Who do these people think they are: Hippocrates?

Fortunately, the Times is quick to reassure us, “Any federal legislation is likely to supersede state constitutional amendments.” You know, because of the Supremacy Clause or whatever.

Seriously, does anyone still think we should be worrying about what a bunch of old dead white guys wrote 200 years ago?

If so, 20 bucks says they’re from the South.