We saw it with the stimulus, and now we're seeing it with health care: Republican state officials bucking the agenda of the new Democratic administration by asserting it violates their states' rights under the Tenth Amendment. Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R), a potential GOP 2012 contender who mentioned the idea of secession at a tax day tea party protest in April, raised the possibility of a states' rights vs. health reform showdown in late July, and the DC-based American Legislative Exchange Council has drafted a model resolution for state legislatures asserting states' rights to regulate insurance, and on a few other issues (such as a mandate to buy coverage); the ALEC Tenth Amendment/health care resolution has been introduced by GOP legislators in Indiana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, West Virginia, and Florida, and Arizona's legislature has voted to put it on the ballot in 2010, according to ALEC Health and Human Services Director Christie Herrerra.
There's no final health reform bill yet in Washington, so there's no
alleged government overreach yet to reject, but we'll see if this
continues to be a theme of GOP resistance to President Obama's plans.
H/T reader GJMerits
how cute - maybe the GOP can also stick to their "states' rights" platform on other issues like gay marriage and gun laws as well?
States rights is just a gimmick for GOP if you look at it all states are nearly totally dependent on the federal government for survival. Remember the hue and cry of governor Perry of Texas threatening to succeed from the union then discovering that the state is so dependent on the federal government that it's citizens would probably sue him for none support if he even initiated the threat.
Michael:
So correct you are.
You're an idiot. Secede from the Union, not succeed. Your observation that the state is so dependent on the federal government should be sending warning bells off in your pea sized brain that the federal government has grossly overstepped its constitutional authority. I suggest you read the constitution, with amendments, as well as the Federalist papers. Your beloved federal government is the most clear and imminent threat to your personal liberty you have ever faced.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R), a potential GOP 2012 contender ....
Are you serious? Someone who could barely register 39% of the vote in 2006 when the candidates included "Kinky" Friedman? Someone who actually saw his percent of the vote decrease from 58% in 2002 to 39 in 2006? Someone who a sitting Senator is going to primary?