Back to Basics

PHOENIX – Governor Jan Brewer today announced that the federal district court has granted her motions to dismiss the challenges to SB 1070 filed by Phoenix police officers David Salgado, Corbet Clack, and Paul Dobson and Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc., and the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders et al. The court also dismissed several claims filed by the United States against the State of Arizona.

“I am pleased with today’s decisions,” stated Governor Brewer. “I strongly believe that the citizens of Arizona will ultimately prevail in all of these legal challenges. My defense of the rule of law will continue as vigorously as ever.”

The Arizona Legislature enacted SB 1070 primarily to require that Arizona’s law enforcement officers cooperate in the enforcement of federal immigration laws and, pursuant to the State’s broad police powers, to adopt state crimes that mirror existing federal laws. These laws were duly passed by the Arizona Legislature to protect the citizens of Arizona from the federal government’s failure to enforce the immigration laws effectively.

In today’s orders Judge Susan Bolton agreed with the Governor that the Phoenix police officers, Chicanos Por La Causa, and all of the plaintiffs in the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and ChristianLeaders action lack standing to bring the suits and rejected every one of their standing arguments.

PHOENIX – “Arizona has a long and proud history of fighting the Washington, D.C. elite’s insatiable appetite for bigger government at the cost of States’ rights.  The battle over the Affordable Care Act better known as “ObamaCare” is the latest round.  Once again, the feds have gone too far.

“The cost of ObamaCare places unsustainable burdens on our federal government, our state government, and on American families.   Further, the scheme is based on the unconstitutional mandate that every American buy health insurance.  For these reasons, the State of Arizona, at my direction, has joined nineteen other states in challenging ObamaCare in federal court in the Northern District of Florida.

“Shortly after the states filed their suit, President Obama directed his counsel at the Department of Justice to file a motion to dismiss the case.  The federal district court in Florida will hear arguments this Tuesday, September 14, on whether the states’ challenge to ObamaCare may move forward.  I have no doubt that Arizona and the other states will ultimately prevail in striking down the most oppressive provisions of ObamaCare.  The Act is simply unreasonable, unsustainable and unconstitutional.

“The costs of ObamaCare are indefensibly high and unsustainable.  The current federal budget deficit will exceed $1.3 trillion.  According to the Congressional Budget Office, the ten year deficit is another $6.2 trillion.  This is not the time for America to be expanding entitlement programs, and thereby shackling our country to ever expanding debt obligations.  Instead, the federal government should follow Arizona’s example and cut spending.  America needs a long-term plan that will balance our federal budget and bring stability to our economy.

“In addition to burdening the federal budget, the Act unconstitutionally imposes staggering new costs and obligations on the states.  It transforms Medicaid from a federal-state partnership to reimburse needy persons’ medical costs into a vast federally-mandated program to benefit millions of persons with incomes above the poverty line.  While the states previously had discretion to manage their programs consistent with the needs of their citizens – indeed, Arizona’s own Medicaid program, AHCCCS, is a model nationwide – the Act now limits state flexibility and turns the states into an administrative arm of the federal government.  It also compels the states to assume responsibility not only for cost reimbursement but for the provision of the healthcare services. These changes will add more than $1 billion per year in costs to an already overstrained state budget.

“ObamaCare also forces private insurance plans to expand coverage.  While some of these changes may seem fair on the surface, ultimately the costs of these changes are borne by families.  According to the Wall Street Journal, coverage changes demanded by ObamaCare could increase some premiums as much as 9 percent.  Many Arizonans have already been told by their employers to expect high increases in their insurance premiums that will dramatically impact their household budgets.