Republicans Going States' Rights On Health Care

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