Posted on 2/17/2011, 1:30:04 PM by IbJensen
CNSNews.com) – New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said on Wednesday that New Jersey can’t afford to join other states in a legal battle over the constitutionality of Obamacare and that he wants residents in his state to “get a free ride” if the U.S. Supreme Court rules in favor of the states that are suing to stop its implementation.
“For once I want New Jerseyans to get a free ride,” Christie said following a speech he made at the American Enterprise Institute.
Christie said a free ride was a “foreign concept” to people in New Jersey who are used to paying for lawyers and other experts to solve problems. He said the other states could fight the battle and that if they won, New Jersey residents would also win.
“There’s 26 states pursuing this lawsuit,” Christie said when CNSNews.com asked why his state had not joined in any of the lawsuits. “If it’s unconstitutional for Florida, Virginia and Alabama it’s going to be unconstitutional for New Jersey.
Christie said the initial decision not to sue over Obamacare being implementing in New Jersey was made by his Democratic predecessor, Jon Corzine, who is a fan of the president’s health care plan.
“When I got there, my view, as a trial lawyer was, appellate judges don’t look at it and say ‘Oh we got to 26 states; they win.’ That’s not the way it works.
“They’re spending the money, they’re forcing the argument and then if it’s found unconstitutional, for once New Jersey taxpayers are going to get a benefit for free,” Christie said.
Christie said he had joined other Republican governors in sending a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, asking him to fast-track the lawsuits to the Supreme Court – the only course that will resolve the conflict between the federal government and those states over the health care law, Christie said.
“The only people who are going to do that are the nine folks who sit over at the Supreme Court,” Christie said.
Christie said he has not hidden the fact that he is “not a fan of the president’s health care plan” and believed the law’s fate rests in the outcome of the lawsuits.
“I can tell you that with 29 Republican governors out there, it’s not inevitable by any stretch,” Christie said.
Christie’s speech was entitled, “It’s Time to Do the Big Things,” and the popular politician with a “Jersey attitude” talked about balancing the budget in his state and taking on the state’s teacher unions to make sure bad teachers are not allowed to stay in schools because of seniority and other union concessions.
He said that Corzine, his predecessor, invited the press into his office to see a cot Corzine said he would sleep on if the government shut down over a dispute about how much to raise the taxes in the state.
Christie told the Democrats after he was elected that the state was under “new management” and that he would veto any tax increases.
“But I want to tell you something,” Christie said he told the state lawmakers. “I’m not moving any cot into this office to sleep in here.
“You close down the government, I’m getting in those black SUVs with the troopers, I’m going to the governor’s residence, gonna go upstairs, gonna open a beer, I’m gonna order a pizza and I’m going to watch the Mets.
“And when you decide to reopen the government, give me a call, I’ll come back,” Christie said.
“Take a look at me,” said Christie, referring to his large build. “You think I’m sleeping on a cot? Not happening.”
Christie said elected officials are called on to lead and that being a successful leader requires politicians to be more concerned about how their decisions will affect future generations rather than future elections.
The more we think things are changing the more they actually are staying the same!
Christie’s absolutely right. One more state on the docket makes no difference. We can’t afford it. The outcome will be the same with or without us. I’m glad Christie is smart enough to do things the way he does, and doesn’t worry about scoring useless political points with taxpayer money. If it hurts his national chances, all the better! I love him right here where he is.
Actually riding the coattails of the other states.
He isn't for Obamacare, he just can't afford the money to enjoin the lawsuit.
I don’t fault Christie on this. He is taking the national lead on budgets, pension reform, and fiscal housecleaning. He doesn’t have to lead on every issue.
The title is quite misleading, because it left an impress on that he wanted his state to get the federal benefits of the law.
I can understand not joining the Florida litigation because of the initial and long term costs involved but I will never understand why his administration apparently didn’t file an Amicus brief to show support....much, much cheaper... Meanwhile the RATS in this state are rushing through legislation to implement Obamacare and we are taking names of the RINO’s who joyously leap onto that bandwagon and waiting anxiously to see if our reputedly conservative Governor vetoes it.
Because not filing it is even cheaper. He knows the legal racket. Why waste any money on lawyers' fees when it makes NO difference?
Smart guy. Wish he were running Washington State.
For a guy as smart as Chris Christie, I’m astonished he takes such a narrow-minded view. True, SCOTUS won’t tally the total states on the suit and decide the case on a “majority rules” basis. BUT the court actually DOES follow public opinion, so the more people oppose Obamacare, the less likely it is SCOTUS will automatically defer to the discretion of Congress in deciding what’s constitutional and what’s not.
NJ admittedly is only one state, but it’s been a very blue state in recent years (Christie’s election being an anomaly in that regard). The more states “pile on” to oppose Obamacare, the more even “fence-sitters” among the public are going to question the law’s legitimacy. As they see this lawless administration thumbing its nose at a federal district judge and ignoring the clear will of a demonstrable majority of governors and the public in general, the more they’re inclined to think “Well that ain’t right.”
The dollar amount required to join this suit is peanuts compared to the political impact of NJ joining the on-the-record opponents of this law. Unlike the decision not to participate in the Hudson River tunnel boondoggle (which saved NJ hundreds of millions of dollars at minimum), the most Christie might be saving by sitting on the sidelines for the Obamacare lawsuit is measured in hundreds of thousands of dollars at most.
I also don’t think its generally wise for a fierce proponent of individual responsibility to be bragging about free-riding on others.
For the record, I’m a HUGE fan of Christie’s, but just think that on this issue, he’s made the wrong choice.
Yes, of course, doing absolutely nothing is the cheapest.
That’s so simple, it’s brilliant.
Our Governor certainly does know the legal racket!
What’s your opinion about the related issues I mentioned?
You and I are in complete agreement.
What related issues?
Movements happen, things change on raw numbers.
It’s easy to sit back and do nothing. Less stress, less expense.
Thank God we don’t.
1) Legislating a foundation for implementation of “ObamaCare” at the state level.
2) Concern that Christie may not veto this legislation once it reaches his desk.
I think he was also making a point about the fact that New Jersey receives less return on its federal tax dollars than does any other state.
According to the last numbers I’ve seen, New Jersey receives only 58 cents in federal spending for every federal tax dollar paid by New Jerseans. That’s the lowest in the country, and only three states - New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Minnesota - receive less than 70 cents. In absolute terms, New Jersey’s Balance of Payments deficit is second only to California’s, could fully fund the tax surplus of any other state, and is higher than the gross tax payments of over half of other states.
In other words, a number of other states currently receive a “free ride” from New Jersey, and I think that was the key point Christie was making. Unfortunately, it isn’t an obvious one to anyone who isn’t aware of the issue of New Jersey’s Balance of Payments deficit.
According to Mark Levin it wouldn’t cost NJ taxpayers anything to sign on to it.
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