Florida court to hear Republican legal challenge to Obamacare

The conservative counterattack on President Obama’s overhaul of health insurance will take center stage in the courts this week when Republican state attorneys general and a leading small-business group urge a federal judge in Florida to strike down the law before it can take effect.

They contend Congress does not have the power under the Constitution to require all Americans to have health insurance. They also say states cannot be pressured to spend more to cover low-income families.

“Our members are very energized. They are upset with the law, and they think they should be able to make decisions for themselves,” said Karen Harned, executive director of the Small Business Legal Center of the National Federation of Independent Business. “If Congress can tell you to do this, what’s the limit?”