After President Obama today signed a law triggering what he called "a massive government takeover of the nation's health care system" Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey (R-Blountville) called on Attorney General Bob Cooper "to join his colleagues in at least 13 other states in legal action to stop implementation of the new law."
"The United States Constitution does not give the federal government the authority for this massive power grab that will reduce individual liberty and strangle state government finances," Lt. Governor Ramsey - a candidate for governor - said.
"Politicians in Washington may have temporarily lost their minds, but we still have our sanity out here in the states and we need to take action to roll this law back."
He said late last year he asked Attorney General Cooper "to make preparations for protective legal action in the wake of the massive and unconstitutional health care bill passed by the United States Senate."
He said, "The Attorney General deferred, opting to wait for passage by the United States House of Representatives."
Lt. Governor Ramsey said, "The job of the Attorney General is to defend Tennessee's rights and so today I am calling on General Cooper to join 13 other attorneys general in the legal action that was filed today in Pensacola, Florida."
He said the action was instigated in Pensacola under the direction of Florida's attorney general and is also joined by a bipartisan group of AGs from South Carolina, Idaho, Texas, Nebraska, Michigan, Utah, Pennsylvania, Alabama, South Dakota, Washington, Colorado, and Louisiana.
In addition to the legal action, Lt. Governor Ramsey said he is also urging his colleagues in the State House to pass the Health Care Freedom act scheduled to be heard tomorrow in the Industrial Impact subcommittee. Lt. Governor Ramsey will headline a press conference outside the Senate chamber before the vote to urge passage, he said.