Tennessee law to stop Obamacare enforcement attracting hostility nationwide
By Chris Butler | Tennessee Watchdog
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — One of the sponsors of a bill in the Tennessee General Assembly that, if passed, would prevent enforcement of Obamacare in the state, says pro-Obamacare interests nationwide have sent her nasty messages and threats.
State Sen. Mae Beavers, R- Mount Juliet, did not share the nature of those particular messages with Tennessee Watchdog, however.
Mae Beavers
“These messages are coming from people in places like California and Florida,” Beavers said.
Beavers also directed Tennessee Watchdog to her Facebook page where individuals claiming to represent pro-Obamacare organizations scolded her for the proposed legislation.
The legislation is called the “Tennessee Health Care Freedom and ACA Noncompliance Act.”
Beavers said these disapproving organizations might possibly represent individuals affiliated with the Obamacare website, but Tennessee Watchdog was unable to verify that.
According to the bill that she is co-sponsoring with State Rep. Mark Pody, R-Lebanon, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Obamacare as a tax violates the Constitution as Congress refused to identify it as a tax. The federal government also is acting out of bounds by trying to enforce Obamacare because its “powers are ‘few and defined’ while those of the states are ‘numerous and indefinite,’” according to the proposed law.
Beavers said she is taking guidance on this from the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1992 Printz v. the United States decision. In that decision the court ruled states do not have to accept directives from the federal government when addressing certain problems. They also do not have to enforce federal programs.
A Facebook page representing itself as M. Hope America posted this message on Sen. Mae Beavers’ Facebook page, she told Tennessee Watchdog.
“This law was about asking sheriffs to enforce gun laws. Reading this, it seems we could use this against the federal government in lots of areas,” Beavers said, adding lawmakers in five other states, including Georgia and Missouri are considering similar legislation.
Another message on Sen. Beavers’ Facebook page disapproving of her legislation.
“I have no idea if this will pass. I wouldn’t begin to guess. Hopefully we can get it assigned to a committee so it will come up next week,” Beavers said.
Contact Christopher Butler at chris@tennesseewatchdog.org. or follow him and submit story ideas on his official Facebook page.
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