Friday, January 01, 2010

States that begin with "n," end with "a" and rhyme with Flebraska

This story about threats by AGs to challenge special treatment of Nebraska in the Democrats' healthcare bill reminds me of the pitiful (Tennessee) legislative trick of circumventing constitutional requirements (Art XI, Sec. 8) by narrowly defining a city to receive the special treatment (e.g., "a city with a population between 80,000 and 83,000 in the 2000 census). I don't think our AG is interested in getting in front of this "historic" locomotive, regardless of the consequences to TN.

From the article: ("TN [AG] says 13 states' challenge to health bill is premature," The Tennessean):
A Republican effort to force changes to the health-care reform bill appears to be gathering steam, but Tennessee's attorney general said Wednesday that his office will sit out for now.

Attorneys general in 13 states said in a letter to Congressional leaders sent Wednesday evening that they will sue unless lawmakers remove a deal that gives Nebraska a break on Medicaid payments in exchange for that state's Democratic senator's vote for health-care reform. The law violates the Constitution because it amounts to a tax break for citizens of one state, the group says.

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