Wow Pat, do you have a clue what form of government the country you live in has? Here's a clue, It's not a democracy, it is a republic!. We have a little thing called a constitution, ever heard of it? Nowhere does it say that mob rules! It does however have an 10th amendment, that was included in another little thing called "The Bill of Rights". The Tenth Amendment restates the Constitution's principle of federalism by providing that powers not granted to the national government nor prohibited to the states are reserved to the states or the people. So, if duly elected officials, republican or democrats want to try to save their state from this financial meltdown called "Health Care Reform" it is within their power to do so. So, to answer your question, it's the constitution of the United States of America, that gives them the right. Kind of makes me want to move to Georgia, where at least their state government still understands that they have a say in things, limited as it is.