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Nine State Attorneys General (AG) have issued a shocking "Memo" setting forth 21 specific violations of law by the Obama Administration. The Obama Administration is using administrative agencies to enforce policy objectives that are outside the law and would not be approved by Congress. This Memo confirms that the "Administration repeatedly shows disdain for states, federal laws it finds inconvenient, the Constitution and the courts." In Florida, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) imposed its own unscientific "numeric nutrient" criteria, which would cost billions of dollars for compliance and the loss of thousands of jobs. A federal court found that EPA had violated the law because its rules were not based on sound science and because EPA failed to prove that its rules would prevent harm to the environment. In South Carolina, the National Labor Relations Board tried to tell Boeing, a private company, where it could or could not locate a new manufacturing plant, and also threatened to sue the state for guaranteeing a secret ballot in union elections. The NLRB backed down after a high profile battle. Obama pressured Congress to pass the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) against the will of the majority of Americans. More than half the states challenged the law's constitutionality in the Supreme Court. The Health and Human Services Agency then mandated religious employers, including Catholic, Baptist and Jewish schools, churches and hospitals, to provide all their employees with medical devices prohibited by their religion. Since many are self-insurers, Obama's subsequent accommodation only reinforced this attack on religious liberty, so seven Attorneys General have filed suit to cancel this anti-religious-liberty mandate. In Oklahoma, the EPA imposed its own federal plan, illegally usurping Oklahoma's authority in the Clean Air Act to determine the state's plan to deal with sources of emissions. The federal plan, which goes beyond the authority granted in the Clean Air Act, will result in a $2 billion cost to install technology and a permanent increase of up to 20% in electricity costs. In Arizona, the Obama Administration is trying to nullify a referendum passed by the voters requiring individuals registering to vote to show a driver's license or other government-issued document as evidence they are citizens. Also in Arizona, in violation of the Tenth Amendment, Obama's Department of Justice is suing to prevent Arizona from using reasonable means to discourage the illegal entry of aliens across Arizona's border, because they are costing the state so much in medical care, education, and crime. This case is now before the Supreme Court. Obama made four appointments to important federal positions (NLRB:three and CFPB:one) which he dishonestly called recess appointments (even though the Senate was not in recess) in order to evade Senate confirmation hearings on his leftwing nominees. It is encouraging that we have patriotic State Attorneys General in nine states who know the Constitution and are willing to litigate against unconstitutional Administration actions. |
