Many people in Georgia are talking about the recently passed health care bill, and Friday's guest on the “Mornings unPHILtered” program offered his take.
      Host Phil Boyum welcomed Max Wood, Republican candidate for Georgia's attorney general. Wood said he is running for the position so state voters would have a choice as to how they want the state to respond concerning Congress' passage of the health care bill.
      Current Attorney General Thurbert Baker, a Democrat, has refused to join 13 other state attorney generals who filed suit against the new law. Wood said he believes Baker made a purely political decision in refusing to join the suits.
      Wood said there are three constitutional concerns he has with the health care plan: first, there is a Commerce Clause issue, in American's having to buy this insurance whether or not they want to; and, secondly, there is the taking of Americans' personal property without due process by the government, which is a potential Fifth Amendment challenge.
      Finally, Wood said, there is a Equal Protection issue, concerning what the bill would cost residents of different states, and in how those different state's residents will be served by the health care bill. Wood said he believes the federal government should not control health care options.
      Show host Boyum asked how having to purchase auto insurance, which is required by every state, is different than having to purchase health care insurance. Wood said that no one is required to own an automobile, which, if they don’t, would remove the need for auto insurance.
      Wood said he served as the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, serving 70 counties for eight years in the Bush administration's Justice Department. In addition to that government service, he served in Iraq during 2005 and 2006.
      Wood said he was a senior American attache with the American Embassy, in charge of rebuilding the Iraqi court, correctional and police systems. Wood served for more than 27 years in the military, including the Air Force and then in the Air National Guard as a Judge Advocate.
      As a Christian, Wood said he felt compelled after he returned to write a book, entitled “Iraq: Seeing the Real War,” which describes the spiritual experience he had while serving there.
      He invited voters to go to his Web site, www.woodforattorneygeneral.com, and compare his qualifications to those others running for the position.
      Wood said that down-ballot races, such as attorney general, are quite often more important considering how these officers might affect every state resident's daily life, as compared with how their lives might be affected by the state's governor.
      Wood said he'll be in Savannah on April 15, and then in Statesboro on May 7 for the Republican Gubernatorial forum and state candidate's Meet and Greet at Statesboro High School. He said he would welcome meeting anyone who attends.
 
      “Mornings unPHILtered” airs live Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on statesboroherald.com and also simulcast on WWNS-AM 1240 on the radio. You also can listen anytime at BoroLive.com on statesboroherald.com