(Chad Christensen) – As the Republican Whip in the Nevada State Legislature I am calling upon Governor Jim Gibbons and Attorney General Catherine Cortez-Masto to fight this so-called “healthcare” bill in any way legally possible.
I will join with the Governor in his letter dated January 7, 2010 where it is stated that the implementation of this bill would cost Nevada $613 million in increased Medicaid costs alone. We just finished a Special Session of the Legislature where we were fighting for every dollar. I know the numbers very well and this bill would cause the financial destruction of our state.
This bill is illegal and unconstitutional and I would call on my fellow Legislators in Nevada to join this battle and do everything within our power to fight this. I would not rule out a Special Session of the Legislature if the Governor were to call one. The excessive cost of this legislation would easily justify any expense incurred.
I will challenge State Legislators on both sides of the aisle to stand up and be counted on this issue and unite with the people we have been elected to serve. Just because they have become deaf to the citizens in Washington DC, it is no excuse for us not to hear their cries in Carson City!
I quote the words of Alexander Hamilton in Federalist Papers 26: “State legislatures will always be, not only the vigilant, but suspicious and jealous guardians of the rights of the citizens against encroachments from the federal government.”
The federal government is clearly encroaching on the rights of its citizens and the states with this legislation that, at minimum, violates the 10th amendment to the US Constitution.
Nevada must stand up and be counted amongst those states who are fiercely objecting to this illegal government intrusion into our lives.
(Mr. Christensen is a Republican state assemblyman and candidate for the United States Senate)