Georgia Republican Senators Propose Amending State Constitution To Block Federal Health Care
Georgia Republican Senators Propose Amending State Constitution To Block Federal Health Care
The newest in a series of far-right political movements is “tentherism.” Tenthers are part of a radical ideology that references the 10th amendment to claim that the federal government does not have a right to enact a whole host of government programs. Under the tenther belief system, “Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, federal education funding, the Veterans Affairs health system and the G.I. Bill are all illegal… [and] beyond Congress’ power to enact.”
Yesterday, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported that a group of Republican state legislators in Georgia planned to introduce legislation that would “invoke the 10th amendement” to allow Georgia to opt out of participation in any federal health care legislation:
A group of Republican state senators on Thursday said they want to amend the state’s Constitution in an attempt to stop Democrats in Washington from enforcing health care reform here.
Sens. Judson Hill (R-Marietta) and Chip Rogers (R-Marietta) were joined by about half a dozen colleagues to unveil their plans. The resolution would be introduced when lawmakers return in January.
The proposed amendment would, Hill and Rogers said, would allow Georgia to invoke the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. That amendment says that any power not explicitly granted the federal government in the Constitution is preserved for the states.
While Hill and Rogers are playing politics with their extremist reading of the Constitution, Georgians without health care continue to suffer. As of March 2009, 2,929,000 Georgians under the age of 65 were uninsured — nearly 34 percent of the state’s total population. More than three-quarters of these Georgians went without health care for six months or longer between 2007 and 2008.
One group of Georgians does have guaranteed, high-quality health coverage: Medicare recipients. As of 2008, 1,145,727 Georgians benefited from Medicare, a program Hill refuses to call constitutional. Commenting on the tenther bill, the leading Georgian conservative blog Peach Pundit writes, “Somebody didn’t think this one through.”
The efforts by Hill and his colleagues are similar to those of a group of Republican state legislators in Florida who are trying to enact legislation that would prevent Floridans from taking part in any new federal health care plan.
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Georgia Republican Senators Propose Amending State Constitution To Block Federal Health Care
well that should bring the cost down some… perhaps a public option is looking more palatable now, Mr. President?
September 4th, 2009 at 10:46 amI don’t understand why Republicans are so against helping their own constituents.
September 4th, 2009 at 10:49 amLet Georgia foot the whole bill for Medicaid and see what happens. The Feds pay 67 cents on the dollar.
Add Medicare and Social Security to the state budget and Georgia should implode like the old Soviet Union.
September 4th, 2009 at 10:50 amThe Drama Queen Party just can’t get enough of its fads, can it?
The Statesmen and women of yesteryear all wag their heads slowly in shame.
September 4th, 2009 at 10:52 amStrictly political stunt. If these bozos were to actually look into the legalities, the Federal trumps the State.
September 4th, 2009 at 10:53 amsomeone should let the gray haireds know that they are being death paneled……but it’s not Obama doing it.
September 4th, 2009 at 10:55 amWow. These Georgia lawmakers really are suggesting the state opt out of Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, SSI and risking federal aid to schools, which the STATE is SUPPOSED to fund completely? These lawmakers show their pettiness, short-sightedness and inability to put people before politics. Hope decent Georgians vote them out of office ASAP, but I doubt that will happen.
September 4th, 2009 at 10:59 amIf a state does not want to receive federal money for healthcare, then cut them off. No more money for any federal healthcare to tenther states. They would repeal their tenther legislation mighty fast if social security, Medicare, Medicaid and veterans benefits were suddenly cut.
It really is entertaining political theatre watching the GOP’s death throes.
September 4th, 2009 at 10:59 amWhy not just secede from the union? I mean, it worked out so well the last time Georgia got in a tizzy about states’ rights….
September 4th, 2009 at 10:59 amLet them vote to stop federal moneys from going to their state. Just think of the money we will save in unemployment, food stamps, medicare/medicade, SS, FEMA, GI bill, and all the rest of the Federal aid to states. Let them choke on that awhile and see how long befor they start crying and whining about being picked on. HAHAHA.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:00 amMedicare, Medicaid, Social Security, federal education funding, the Veterans Affairs health system and the G.I. Bill… throw in stimilus funds too.
Let them do it, cut off the federal funding for Georgia and point out that the Repugnants were the ones who did this to their state.
And watch the bastards swing from the trees.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:00 amGeorgia Republican Senators Propose Amending State Constitution To Block Federal Health Care
– - Federal health care should be blocked to all of the Confederate States of America.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:00 amIsn’t it ironic that it is generally the states opposing health care/insurance reform are the ones who are the net beneficiaries of federal aid?
Perhaps we should take the tenther philosophy to its logical extreme and level off federal aid to the states across the board to an amount equivalent to that which the state contributes to federal tax revenues. These political grandstanders are cutting of their nose to spite their face.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:03 amThere are a number of things not explicitly granted in the Constitution provided to the states. Would this bill include those thing too?
I guess it’s just a coincidence that the states trying this 10th bs are all southern.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:03 amThese people will do anything and screw anybody in order to block anything favored by a black man, won’t they?
September 4th, 2009 at 11:04 amI think I’d go with a “we won’t be neoconfederate hickidiots any more” amendment if i was them…then see how that works before deciding on any others.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:04 amMisguided revenge:
September 4th, 2009 at 11:04 am“Bomb ourselves back to stone age”
Visit the Flintstones
These tenthers are trying to appeal to their far right voter base. The legislators are fully aware that such amendments and laws cannot be enforced because federal law trumps state laws on these issues. Tenthers need to convince the SCOTUS to strike down these plans, but that has about as much of a chance as a snowball in hell.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:05 amHaha, this case won’t hold up in the SCOTUS, because it says right in the Constitution (which the “tenthers” seem to know all about) that any law made by the Federal Government is The Supreme law of the country and that it’s higher than any state’s law. But, what do you expect from people who aren’t educated?
September 4th, 2009 at 11:06 amBob says:
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There are a number of things not explicitly granted in the Constitution provided to the states. Would this bill include those thing too?
I guess it’s just a coincidence that the states trying this 10th bs are all southern.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:07 amBut Bob, what about Alaska?
Maybe, Southern Regugnican’ts will rally around General Jeb Bush.
http://stateofthedivision.blogspot.com/2008/12/general-jeb-to-ride-in-from-south.html
Surely, there’s a board position somewhere for dedicated captains like Judson.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:09 amWe the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare</strong>, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:09 amPerhaps when other states actually get healthcare reform, the people of Georgia will begin to flee and shrik the voting population of Georgia. Perhaps they’d all like to give up all those offensive government programs they have right now? Stupid Saltines!
September 4th, 2009 at 11:10 amGee, I’d never know that I live in the state that’s one of the highest in the country in unemployment and one of the lowest in the country in SAT scores and graduation rates. Thanks, Georgia politicians. Just when I thought my state’s representative democratic republic isn’t a true representation of the people who elected them, you proved me wrong. I’m so proud to live in Georgia.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:15 amJudson,who names their spawn Judson? What is a Judson?
September 4th, 2009 at 11:15 amThis is my opinion, but Judson looks like another in-the-closet,bible-thumper to me!
I can see the start of a movement whereby the anti-union “Right to Work” states adopt a new title: Right to Suffer States. They will be the new suffragettes scorning public health, education and welfare.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:16 amHow can they be so stupid? They actually don’t want people in their state to have health care? It is not only stupid but cruel.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:16 amOnly in America.
I don’t have any ideas, so you can’t have any either!!
September 4th, 2009 at 11:20 amThey can starting ripping out all those federal interstate highways, too. Won’t be needing those!
September 4th, 2009 at 11:21 amI keep thinking that this craziness just can’t go on. It’s on a daily basis, for cryin’ out loud!
September 4th, 2009 at 11:23 amSo make the elderly,poor and our brave soldiers suffer because you re-pukes are so ignorant of what your people need.Now I understand why the right mistrust the federal gov`t because thet take care of the elderly,poor and our brave soldiers.Ignorant idiots that spew HYPOCRISY because we have a Black American in the White House……..
September 4th, 2009 at 11:23 amRural Georgians don’t need electricity either. All those wires and poles were paid for (and still are) by the REA, a goddamn federal socialist program.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:27 amIn a state where 27.5% of the adult population is obese (almost 2/3 of the population overweight), they might want the extra little help that a Federal healthcare plan would offer their increasingly lard-ass state.
Go figure. The states most adamantly opposed to Federal healthcare also have the highest incidenes of chronic obesity.
And to think I almost wound up moving to Marietta…
September 4th, 2009 at 11:34 amshudders
Doc Rock,
That’s the preamble which, it could be argued, does not give any particular branch any real authority. The authority to enact all those federal programs comes from Article I, Section 8, Clause 1: The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
The right wing likes to claim this is what gives the Congress the authority to create a Dept of Defense, but they ignore the part about promoting the “general Welfare”. The amendment these state legislators are proposing would not stop the Congress from helping the citizens of their state, which appears to be more than they want to do.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:35 amIsn’t Georgia one of the states where Republicans are evenly divided on whether they want to secede? No surprise to see this sort of extremist fringe interpretation of the 10th Amendment out of them.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:37 amThe prevailing attitude in GA is that the government is bad, and Obama is out to get you by taking away your freedom. The stupidity here is the stupidity that has always existed here. I went to a fairly large hc rally yesterday in Atlanta on behalf of these dummies. I don’t need a good hc plan. I have a plan that is subsidized by the state, but I realize that the same people demonizing the POTUS don’t know that what we are supporting would help them the most. If I were as stupid and hard-hearted as they are, I would not be using my money and time during my retirement to try to get help for them. GA has always been backwards, and most people living here just buy into anything the rw politicians say. They don’t want to be bothered by thinking for themselves. It’s too hard, so they get their information from nuts on the radio and teevee machine. I could be enjoying my retirement instead of working for them and paying my $100/mo. health insurance premium with the $30/co-pay, but I choose to continue my work because of it is the right thing to do. They’ll be bashing liberals and the POTUS while benefitting from all that we have accomplished that improves their lives on a daily basis.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:37 amWhat about Alaska?
A northern state with a southern philosophy, maybe? Another state that benefits from federal dollars way more than they can make up on their own.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:39 amEndless greed! pure and simple.
If people without healthcare suffer and/or die because of it, oh well i guess, at least 1% of Americans can get rich anyways, right?!
This country has really gotten drunk on the moonshine of pure, unregulated capitalism. To heck with 1/3 of the total state of Georgia’s residents not having healthcare (in the year 2009 in the richest industrialized country in the world?!)! Absolutely disgraceful. Jesus would sure be proud.
Obviously the monetary greed of Republicans and private health insurance companies is far far more important than healthcare for 1/3 of an entire state!
September 4th, 2009 at 11:40 amThe clause establishes the Constitution, Federal Statutes, and U.S. treaties as “the supreme law of the land”. The text establishes these as the highest form of law in the American legal system, mandating that state judges uphold them, even if state laws or constitutions conflict.
Does that mean it is illegal for Governor Paterson to try and force additional taxes on the indian reservations?
September 4th, 2009 at 11:41 amI hope they all catch the clap and can’t afford to get treatment.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:55 amAs Hendrick Hertzberg wrote in the New Yorker, re Texas and secession: “So long, pardner.”
Seriously, the election of a black president has driven white southerners quite mad. And a few others as well. But a lot ot the madness is located in the South. I think there will be a crisis soon, and it might lead to some really scary ugliness. Hopefully we can get another underground railway going for the decent people still unfortunately having to live there.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:55 amGo ahead and dis-enfranchise seniors, veterans, all parents with kids in public school, AND the almost 3,000,000 uninsured, and see how far that gets. It’s ridiculous.
The rudderless party with only Limbaugh, Palin, and Steele as “leaders,” is spawning all these second tier wannabee’s like Jindal, Perry, and various Repug Congress-critters to jockey for position as presidential contenders. Spewing the crazy is to get national recognition by the winger base. Like all Repugs, they have no real intention of following through on their ridiculous proposals.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:56 amWhen are seniors going to get a clue about what today’s conservatives think about their cherished Social Security and Medicare?
It is a disgrace that they support politicians who would take these things away from them if they could.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:57 ambuffalo nickel says:
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Go ahead and dis-enfranchise seniors, veterans, all parents with kids in public school, AND the almost 3,000,000 uninsured, and see how far that gets. It’s ridiculous.
The rudderless party with only Limbaugh, Palin, and Steele as “leaders,” is spawning all these second tier wannabee’s like Jindal, Perry, and various Repug Congress-critters to jockey for position as presidential contenders. Spewing the crazy is to get national recognition by the winger base. Like all Repugs, they have no real intention of following through on their ridiculous proposals.
Dosen’t that discribe a majority of the GOP?
September 4th, 2009 at 12:04 pmLet them pass the amendment, and watch the population of the state drop by 50% in five years.
September 4th, 2009 at 12:06 pmGood thing we don’t have that down here in VA, but I wouldn’t be suprised if that starts happening here soon as well… When will these people realize that they are out of touch with what the majority of “real Americans”?
September 4th, 2009 at 12:06 pmwant?
September 4th, 2009 at 12:07 pmThe Republic Fascist Party harming Georgians one law at a time.
Gotta hate these scum bags, just hate them all to hell.
September 4th, 2009 at 12:12 pmAnd, believe it or, on Hardball last night, on the GOP congressman tried to give take credit for passing SCHIP in ‘97. And even though it was pointed out to him that it was Clinton who signed the bill, and the Dems who conceived and voted for the bill, nobody pointed out to him that in ‘08 – with Bush throwing his support behind expanding SCHIP – that the GOP was firmly against furthering the program!
Shameless corporate tools – the whole lot of them!
September 4th, 2009 at 12:12 pmI pity the people of Georgia who have to be represented by people like this.
September 4th, 2009 at 12:12 pmLet Georgia and Florida join with the crazy people in Texas – deny their people the benefits of the federal government and let’s see how long they last in office.
September 4th, 2009 at 12:13 pmMaybe the SUV moms can teach their kids a thing or two about tentherism on that upcoming day off from school …
September 4th, 2009 at 12:13 pmMaybe cutting off all aid to the red states isn’t a bad idea after all.
September 4th, 2009 at 12:13 pmBuckie Boy says:
Maybe cutting off all aid to the red states isn’t a bad idea after all.
Who the hell are they to tell the blue states how to spend their money as they damn well choose?
September 4th, 2009 at 12:18 pmI guess this shows where this government person is coming from. He’ll keep all his benefits and services obtained through the various levels of government by virtue of his employment, but wants to deny them to those otherwise employed. I think that is called class warfare, elitism, aristocracy.
It would be most interesting to see these high talkers respond when all services provided by taxes are eliminated. Gee, no firefighters or policemen, no roads or highways, no public schools, no libraries, no city water or sewage. And on and on. These guys need to be educated and so do the ones who listen.
September 4th, 2009 at 12:38 pmLike all Repugs, they have no real intention of following through on their ridiculous proposals.
What frightens me are the ones who have every intention of following through with their ridiculous proposals.
September 4th, 2009 at 12:41 pmI say do it…while he is at it, take away Social Security and Medicare…I bet you within 1 year, that state becomes BLUE.
September 4th, 2009 at 12:42 pmLet these greedy self serving rethuglicans secede from the rest of the country and force them to be on their own. We can get along without the inbred GOPers from Georgia and Texas
September 4th, 2009 at 12:56 pmWhere were these tenthers when Bush rammed through his medicare drug plan?
Funny, I don’t see Georgia on that list, do you? And where exactly were all the protestors yelling about how they are losing their country and George Bush wanted to make slaves of them all? Where are the people shouting down their representatives, fighting to stop Bush’s socialist agenda from taking away their states rights?
**crickets**
(They must have been distracted by the Bush cut-outs they were praying to. We all know that Christians are rabidly anti-socialism, and would never let his actions slide if they known, right?)
As made clear in this article, they have only St Bush to blame for the expansion of the federal govt. into “states rights” territory, and the reduction in federal dollars flowing back to the states. And the reduction in Medicaid reimbursements. And…I could go on, but what’s the point?
Obama can do no right and Bush can do no wrong. Maybe Obama can get the Bush lawyers to assert the same arguments for the Dem’s “Medicare for All” plan that they SHOULD be pursuing that they did for their boss when crafting the drug company give-aways:
September 4th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Any other private citizen, err corporation this guy wants to sell people too?
September 4th, 2009 at 1:32 pmShorter Hill: You can only buy insurance from my donors private insurance.
September 4th, 2009 at 1:33 pm.
… Because nothing says Welfare of a Nation like keeping it sick!
.
September 4th, 2009 at 1:35 pmThe Tenth Amendment hasthese pesky three last words–or the people.
September 4th, 2009 at 1:39 pmDoes the Georgi Legislature think that the 10th Amendment will prevent the people of their states from receiving federal health insurance?
Just like their predecessors, shouting ‘freedom!’ and ’self determination!’ to keep human beings as slaves.
Beautiful.
The whole program is a pander to wite people who don’t want “their” tax money spent keepin the knee-grows and the rest of the undeserving minorities healthy…
September 4th, 2009 at 2:02 pmIs it too late to let the south go?
September 4th, 2009 at 2:03 pm*
Shorter Sens. Judson Hill (R-Marietta) and Chip Rogers (R-Marietta):
We hate America and it’s people and so should you.
September 4th, 2009 at 2:23 pmPart of the antipathy is because the South is more rural and has fewer large cities than the Midwest and East.
September 4th, 2009 at 2:52 pmAh, State Senator Hill (R-Peach Pit) wants to turn GA into a real backwater. Go for it, Senator.
Sure, Senator, you’re thinking that this will run all the “welfare queens” out of the state, along with anyone else on assistance, right? I suspect the middle, lower middle, and working poor will beat them to the door, and when all of those folks are gone, then what ya gonna do?
Ask the Feds for an increase in your quota of illegals so you can keep things going? That one probably won’t fly very far.
September 4th, 2009 at 3:00 pmYa know, if he really believed it, he would file a 10th amendment tax return (as the income tax is not specifically authorized in the Constitution).
I hear the IRS is well known for having a jolly sense of humor on this.
September 4th, 2009 at 3:22 pmYou know, it is probably not doable, but it would be kind of nice if each state decided if they want a public option or not. Let the red states suffer the consequences and maybe, just maybe they would stop electing morons to represent them.
September 4th, 2009 at 3:25 pmGood, secession would be even better! C’mon conservative nut bags, make our day! Let’s have a ‘blue state only’ health plan so the rest of us can wave bye bye as the red states plunge further into third world status.
September 4th, 2009 at 3:41 pmIn other words Republican state senators in Georgia want to protect their constituents from fictitious federal government tyranny by imposing state government tryanny.
September 4th, 2009 at 4:10 pmGreat!! That will help lower costs.
September 4th, 2009 at 4:24 pmPerhaps liberals should actually read the 10th amendment.
September 4th, 2009 at 4:28 pmconservative guy says:
I’ve read it. Several times. And I can say with some certainty that it does not say what you and other tenthers think it says. The Tenth Amendment in no way a clause in the Constitution that condones or encourages treason against the United States.
Which is exactly what you tenthers advocate.
September 4th, 2009 at 5:48 pm10th Amendment: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
OK, Conservative guy. We’ve all read it. Now, you go read Article I, Section 8.
September 4th, 2009 at 6:34 pm75. Doom Siren says: conservative guy says: …
I’ve read it. Several times. And I can say with some certainty that it does not say what you and other tenthers think it says. The Tenth Amendment in no way a clause in the Constitution that condones or encourages treason against the United States.
Which is exactly what you tenthers advocate.
September 4th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Now now. Not really. They don’t advocate treason. They advocate sedition. There is a distinction. They’re just fine with an unlawful overthrow of the present government because they can’t handle the notion of not being the serfs of the Shrub/Cheney establishment.
And they have even more problems with the notion of living as free men with the Obama administration running the government. Might mean the end of part of the lobbyist gravy train and put a stick in the spokes of certain corrupt restrictive practices. Gawd, the marsters at the top end of the R establishment might actually have to show up at their board meetings in order to collect their per diem – that kind of thing. Almost like having to work or something.
September 4th, 2009 at 7:00 pmFirst of all, the 10th Amendment only reserves powers that are not granted to the federal government by the U.S. Constitution.
Secondly, you don’t need to pass a law to reserve the right to “invoke” the 10th Amendment. The 10th Amendment is already always in effect.
Thirdly, the U.S. Consitution does grant the power of creating a health care system to Congress, as follows:
Of all of the things that Congress has authorized the federal government to do throughout its history, none so perfectly falls under the defition of “general welfare” than a robust health care system.
However, ultimately that would be for the SCOTUS to decide, as specified by the Constitution. Given their past rulings allowing all other government programs, it’s pretty clear how they feel about it.
.
conservative guy says:
Perhaps liberals should actually read the 10th amendment.
Okay.
Nope, doesn’t say that the states can block the federal government from doing something that actually is a power delegated to it.
Before you go blathering on and on about the Constitution, you really should read it first. Before you go daring us to read it, you should really consider the possibility that we already have.
September 5th, 2009 at 3:00 amMapleStreet says:
Exactly so. No state constitution can supercede Federal law
September 5th, 2009 at 3:40 amConservaTROLL
Why dont you just go kill yourself you worthless moron. I would tell YOU to read it but you are too stupid to understand bazooka Joe bubblegum comics much less the Constitution
September 5th, 2009 at 3:41 amPlease, Georgia Rethugs. Stop the Social Security checks, Medicare coverage, and VA disability checks to your constituents before the 2010 elections. I’m sure that is what they want. It will guarantee your re-election.
September 5th, 2009 at 3:11 pmThey do realize that the SCOTUS will rule that federal law overrules any laws set by the state. Geez, if only they had done this in 1917, then they would have been put in jail for advocating for sedition and the public would see what morons they really are.
September 5th, 2009 at 3:36 pmIt’s people like these nutcases that convinced me to switch parties.
September 5th, 2009 at 3:37 pm“[T]here is something fundamentally authoritarian about the tenther constitution. Social Security, Medicare, and health-care reform are all wildly popular, yet the tenther constitution would shackle our democracy and forbid Congress from enacting the same policies that the American people elected them to advance.”
Popular and proper are 2 different concepts. I mean giving every American $10M would be very popular. But not economically proper.
September 7th, 2009 at 3:48 pmThe medical expenses bankruptcy myth.
http://www.realclearmarkets.com/articles/2009/07/30/the_medical_bankruptcy_myth_97335.html
September 7th, 2009 at 4:03 pmkwsventures says:
You are a liar you are a punk you are a pile of dogshit you posted that in three other threads because you are stupid, brainwashed and incapable of thinking for yourself. It was totally shredded on another thread. You are so pathetic that if you werent so stupid you would be embarassed just STFU punk
September 7th, 2009 at 5:24 pm