I read yesterday that many are accusing Obama of trying to equalize the north and the south. One example of this can be found in the recent news that several states are suing the federal government, stating that the healthcare bill is unconstitutional.

Specifically they’re focusing on Medicaid (government funded healthcare for the poor and disabled). Generally, southern states are more restrictive on Medicaid payments; northern states are more generous. The healthcare bill would allow the federal government to force the southern states to adopt the Medicaid standards of the northern states, but without any federal funding to pay for it. This is what’s known as a “unfunded federal mandate”, and is a major reason why many believe that the bill is unconstitutional.