newjerseynewsroom.com

BY PAM LOBLEY

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

NOW THAT'S FUNNY

Republicans in New Jersey and around the country are trying to convince Governor Chris Christie to join the lawsuit that challenges the constitutionality of the healthcare bill signed into law by President Obama.

Under the new law, all U.S. citizens and legal residents will be required to have health insurance by 2014 or face a penalty. The lawsuit, signed by 20 different states – almost all of them with Republican governors – declares that it is unconstitutional to make people buy health insurance. Christie has not signed on. A national expert on the subject said Christie faced becoming an "outlier through inaction."

Governor Christie accused of "inaction?" I find that funny. Seems like it has been nothing BUT action around here since the guy took office.

"He's going to have to explain why he has stood out among his colleagues in his own party by not doing something they've all done," said Michael Franc, vice president for government relations at the Heritage Foundation.

Governor Christie is going to explain himself? Have you seen him do that? Stand back.

Not to be outdone in the Pressure Chris Christie movement, Democrats in the New Jersey state Senate just passed a resolution, urging the Governor NOT to join the 20 other states in the lawsuit. The resolution passed 21-16 and now moves to the Assembly.

So, our legislators are voting on a resolution to try to convince Chris Christie to not do something that he may want to do. Can't they think of a better way to waste time? How about a resolution urging the "Jersey Shore" cast to stop drinking?

The state is expected to file for $141 million available to us under the new law to cover the sickest people in New Jersey. And Christie has been able to use money allocated from the law to restore some proposed cuts to subsidized senior drug programs. So in some ways, the law is working for him and for New Jersey.

It's amusing to watch people try to pressure Governor Christie into anything. If there's one thing we know right now about the governor, it's that he makes up his own mind. He doesn't care whom he embarrasses, he doesn't care who gets bothered by him, he doesn't need you to like him.

In fact, I've heard his advisors have been telling him that he needs to be more likable. He told them to pass a resolution about it.

Pam Lobley writes the "Now That's Funny" column. Sign up for her mailing list at www.pamlobley.com.