Obamacare Is On Trial. So Is the Supreme Court.

Before this week, the well-being of tens of millions of Americans was at stake in the lawsuits challenging the Affordable Care Act.

Read the whole story at The New Republic

Comments

[Tonelook]

08:51 PM on 04/07/2012

If as predicted by some, Congress will be returned to a Democratic control of both the House and Senate, and if there is a fillibuster majority; the Conservative Supreme Court Justices will be investigated for their affiliation with Republican organizations and their corporate ties ( as well as the Thomas tax issues). The question is; do the Right Wing bought and paid for Corporate Supreme Court Justices feel lucky?

[DRouss3977]

11:47 AM on 04/01/2012

This decision could be the downfall of the integrity of the SC. It may become a political entity if intelligence and common sense don't prevail.

[Doug64]

12:16 PM on 04/01/2012

The Supreme Court has been a political entity since *at least* the Dred Scott decision.

[thecornerangel]

12:58 AM on 04/01/2012

The future of Obamacare is in the hands of nine employees covered by federal health insurance. To look at the group picture, they also have plenty to eat it seems. No worries about where to sleep tonight, or if there's enough $ to retire with. Their only job is to equate health insurance to broccoli.

[Middle Class Majority]

12:32 AM on 04/01/2012

Before this week, the well-being of tens of millions of Americans was at stake in the lawsuits challenging the Affordable Care Act.

The freedom of ALL Americans is at stake! Throw it out!

[Grinling Gibbons]

10:39 AM on 04/02/2012

Yeah! Just because the federal government can tax us and draft us to die in wars and make us go to school until we're 16 and execute us for crimes and hold us indefinitely without a trial and even KILL us if they decide we're "enemies of the state" ... that doesn't mean they can force us to pay for our own health insurance! We want our FREEDOM to not pay for insurance but get our fellow citizens to pay for it if we become critically ill! That's the freedom our founders were talking about! lol.

[FatFeline]

10:26 PM on 03/31/2012

"The plaintiffs have conceded that a universal health insurance program would be constitutional if, instead of penalizing people who decline to get insurance, the government enacted a tax and refunded the money to people who had insurance."

Obama did not have the political fortitude to go down the tax route. He feared that the law would not be passed if it involved a tax hike. I don't know it would not have been passed since it was passed without single Republican vote. Everyone knows that the Democrats love to tax.

[earthinretrograde]

09:21 PM on 03/31/2012

The political divide in our Nation is wearing me down.

[OgreDaddy]

08:56 PM on 03/31/2012

I think we could bring the cost of health care way down by investing
in medical training Free in turn for equal public service.

12 years of free education in turn for 12 years serving the public under a national plan.

[George Hanshaw]

10:22 PM on 03/31/2012

You are wrong.

[billmsu]

11:40 PM on 03/31/2012

I would like to see this as well as some reform in the legal system.

[Mildmannered]

08:37 PM on 03/31/2012

Remember -- the next President will likely have the opportunity to nominate the replacement for Justice Ginsburg and maybe other Justices.

[FatFeline]

10:27 PM on 03/31/2012

This is why it is essential that Obama not win in 2012.

[Grinling Gibbons]

10:40 AM on 04/02/2012

That is why it's essential that he DOES win.

Which he will.

[McAttorney]

05:01 PM on 03/31/2012

OK, let's see how this works...

Scalia and a 6-3 majority find that the federal government’s ability to regulate commerce among the states under the commerce clause gives feds the right to criminally prosecute people for marijuana grown within a state and consumed within the same state as prescribed medicine under state law is a valid exercise of federal power.

But when we are talking about regulating the commercial activities of an industry that amounts to 18% of the interstate commercial economy and impacts the lives of every American citizen, it's broccoli and suddenly not authorized by the commerce clause???

This not law; it’s pure politics of the Extreme Right hiding behind black robes.

[TexianLife]

12:54 PM on 03/31/2012

I think the corrupt Supreme Court IS on trial. We'll find out in June how they rule.

[joe1964]

06:11 PM on 03/31/2012

Exactly. They pulled the Citizens United decision straight from their derrieres. If the health care decision is as blatantly political as CU, then it calls into question the probity and infallibility of the court. After the the Bush v. Gore mess, this may be the final straw. Congress may even get off its butt to do something about it, but since the process impeaching a Justice is a nightmare, I won't hold my breath.
Thomas and Scalia are probably safe.

[Doug64]

06:23 PM on 03/31/2012

What do you know, millions of people feel exactly the same way about Roe v. Wade - that the justices pulled the decision "straight from their derrieres."

[billmsu]

09:08 PM on 03/31/2012

There is a reason that it is so hard to impeach a Supreme Court Justice. They do not vote on issues based on public opinion and "feelings". This is why we must have our most brilliant men and women as justices. The court was purposely set up to not be influenced by politicians and public outcry. Let them do their work and then read the ruling and the dissenting opinion. Base your argument on that not on your petty agenda.

[FatFeline]

10:29 PM on 03/31/2012

If they rule the way you want, then they are not corrupt. If they don't rule the way you want then they are corrupt.

I don't find you definition of corrupt in the dictionary.

[spacedoggg]

12:37 PM on 03/31/2012

Paul Ryan mandates that everyone in the country buy private health insurance or face a tax increase, the exact same thing that the ACA mandates. And yet his ideas are applauded by conservatives even though they help get rid of Medicare as we know it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/why-ryancare-and-obamacare-look-so-similar/2011/08/25/gIQAZZa3XS_blog.html

How much would you like to bet that the Supreme Joke would uphold Ryan's plan as constitutional while striking Obama's down even though they both include the mandate?

[barackvspalin]

12:45 PM on 03/31/2012

has anyone passed his proposal?

m-m-m
.

[spacedoggg]

12:59 PM on 03/31/2012

The house passed it 2 days ago sparky. Keep up.

[billmsu]

11:45 PM on 03/31/2012

Not quite. A tax exemption or tax break for those who spend money a certain way has been the norm for quite some time. I give to a charity I get a tax break. I put my kids in daycare so I can work...I get a tax break. Not the same as the current legislation which fines me because I broke a law....

[spacedoggg]

04:22 PM on 04/01/2012

"Not the same as the current legislation which fines me because I broke a law"

In fact it's EXACTLY the same thing as being fined for breaking a law: in both cases your tax bill is higher because you failed to purchase a private product.

But conservatives are fine with a mandate as long as it's proposed by other conservatives. Even the supreme joke is fine with a mandate as long as its in a Republican sponsored bill.

That's why the Supreme Joke is illegitimate: because they rule solely based on politics and not law.

[barackvspalin]

12:30 PM on 03/31/2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i87cZ3Og6ts

[righteousindignation]

12:11 PM on 03/31/2012

Read the Full Story at "The New Republic"? Isn't that Obama's new pet project?

[brittany mclean]

12:18 PM on 03/31/2012

fail. right wing propaganda site

[barackvspalin]

12:19 PM on 03/31/2012

.

best to play it safe. the truth may be too traumatic.
.

[DocSAR]

10:16 PM on 03/31/2012

its a left leaning site recently purchased by former aide of Obamas

[FatFeline]

10:30 PM on 03/31/2012

The New Republic being an America that in fundamentally changed .... towards Marxism.

[lancedaboil]

12:05 PM on 03/31/2012

As a residential home builder I had a book called " Federal Building Codes" that I had to follow. This book dictated that I do certain things and I had to use certain things. This book required that I buy Materials that have been approved by the the Federal government.If I did not buy the approved Materials I was punished. Instead of cheaper inferior materials that would have made me a lot more money, I was forced to buy. I was forced to buy ,by the federal government. Now that I'm retired you tell me that the government had no right to tell me to buy these things!

[the avenging angel]

12:49 PM on 03/31/2012

Actually that is a prime example of over reaching Government to me.

[lancedaboil]

12:55 PM on 03/31/2012

Really. Then please take all your hard earned money you have in your home and buy a house that was not built to Federal Code If you live in an apartment leave and find some hovel that wasn't built, regulated by an over reaching government. Good Luck, your gonna need it.

[kbeth]

01:35 PM on 03/31/2012

Shame on the Government for wanting to keep lead paint and cheap materials that won't hold up out of our buildings, If owners don't care if their buildings are unsafe why should the government. That makes a lot of sense if lives don't matter as much as profits.

[DocSAR]

10:11 PM on 03/31/2012

Building codes are necessary to protect people Requiring people to purchase med insurance doesn't protect people.Requiring people to purchase med insurance doesn't lower the cost of med insurance premiums.

[MolliBlum]

08:23 AM on 04/01/2012

"Requiring people to purchase med insurance doesn't lower the cost of med insurance premiums"
Actually, it does. If everyone purchased health insurance -- including healthy people who rarely use it -- costs would be spread more widely, reducing premiums. That's exactly how it works in many countries with mandatory health insurance.

[lancedaboil]

02:02 PM on 04/01/2012

Sorry, but requiring people to buy health insurance protects my wallet. I wouldn't have to pay for the uninsured. as to lowering cost you must have noticed that health care rises faster than inflation, so how is the status quo keeping costs down?

[lunarsnare]

11:53 AM on 03/31/2012

Evidently the left is already working on the backdoor, knowing deep down that Obamacare is cooked, by starting to brand the US Supreme court as illegitimate.
Effectively advocating lawlessness.

[barackvspalin]

12:10 PM on 03/31/2012

they do something similar when their candidates loose elections.

they say the electorate wasn't bright enough to know better.

[righteousindignation]

12:16 PM on 03/31/2012

they also say = everybody stayed home for the 2010 midterm elections.

[righteousindignation]

12:14 PM on 03/31/2012

Absolutely, "lunarsnare". At least the US Supreme Court is more legitimate than Obama's presidency.

Just Remember - "In God We Trust" - it is on the Left's money - and they hate it.

[brittany mclean]

12:21 PM on 03/31/2012

the president was duely elected by amercian voters he is more legitimate then unelected jurists

[livedlong]

06:42 PM on 03/31/2012

How so? And try not to be indignant with your response. I really want to know why you think one branch of government is more "legitimate" than the other.