Department Of The Obvious

Tim Pawlenty walked back his tentherism today. I think it's dangerous to advance the idea that states can nullify federal laws based on a misreading of the Tenth Amendment - Civil Wars have been started over essentially that - but this brand of Republican hypocrites wouldn't dare go through with it. In fact, they're far more likely to parade around their states taking credit for expanding health care access based on the same exact policy they condemned when Obama was trying to pass it through Congress.

...Here's lead teabagger in Congress Jim DeMint with pretty much the same kind of statement:

Asked whether states should use the 10th Amendment to prevent health care reform from taking effect, he replied that an assertion of states’ rights was “probably the only way we’re going to stop this reckless spending.” He continued, “There’s no constitutional authority for the government to actually do [the reform proposed by Democrats], but whether the courts take it up is a different matter.”

The rules change, however, when it comes to Medicare.

DeMint expressed doubts as to the legality of Medicare under the Constitution, but said, “Regardless of constitutionality, it is a promise that we have to keep. … I think Medicare and Social Security have to be protected.”

Tenthers aren't just hypocrites, they're cowards, afraid of the consequences of their own nutty ideas.