Today’s Supreme Court is often referred to as Anthony Kennedy’s Court. Although Kennedy is the swing justice who usually casts the deciding vote in close cases, the landmark ruling this week in the healthcare cases clearly marks the maturation of the “Roberts Court.” – The Roberts Court Is Born
CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS and the majority found through the mechanism of taxes a way to uphold a congressional law. It’s clear now that the Roberts Court believes this is part of its duty, affirming SCOTUS is an equal brand of government that must respect what the Legislative branch does as well. It’s a constitutional ruling that affirms the founders intention.
If you want to know why people are so confused on Obamacare, take a look at CNN, which earned it’s Lowest Ratings On Cable award today, as well as Fox News Channel, both of whom completely blew the call. Pete Williams of NBC had SCOTUSBLOG on board, while MSNBC was aided by Lawrence O’Donnell’s deep knowledge of taxes, helping viewers to understand the confusion caused on other networks who were fixated on being first instead of being correct.
Bill Hemmer: “We have breaking news here on the Fox News Channel, the individual mandate has been ruled unconstitutional. This was a part of the law that was at the center of the oral arguments three months ago on this day when the justices hammered away at the White House and the administration’s attorney, questioning the validity of the individual mandate and asking the following pointed question: if you can legislate healthcare, where can the federal government be stopped?” Banner on the screen: “Supreme Court finds health care individual mandate unconstitutional” – Dylan Byers
New media ruled in this historic moment, led by SCOTUSBLOG. The Medicaid expansion is dissected over at SCOTUSBLOG, which is getting its due today.
One thing that Justice Roberts and the Court also did yet again was cement elite control over the country, our politics and our lives.
Obamacare remains a gift to private insurance and Big Pharma, just as Citizens United was a boon to the moneyed interests to stay in control of our politics, cementing the big two parties in perpetuity because of the decision this week on the Montana case.
I’m a liberal, so the mandate bothered my libertarian streak, but as a pure tax it doesn’t give me one second of pause. That’s a philosophical point, which remains irreconcilable with my firm opinion that the foundation of Obamacare is what keeps costs high.
People complaining that we are now a socialist country miss the reality of the last 100 years. We have been a democratic socialist nation, starting with F.D.R. Listen to Lawrence O’Donnell when he gets on a roll and you’ll see this is true; he also always said this was an issue of taxing, something that turned out to be true. The reality is that the global economy that has killed unions, including inside the Democratic Party, has rendered looking after the least among us a civic duty in a society that hopes to have any equality at all.
Justice Roberts and the majority citing taxes as making the individual mandate viable puts real pressure on the Grover Norquist contingent, but also Paul Ryan and the entire anti-tax conservative contingent. Republicans are up against it on the tax issue as well, because a Republican chief justice appointed by Pres. George W. Bush has now deemed congressional taxes as a powerful weapon for the people.
As for the politics, Mitt Romney’s statement was perfect for the Republicans, even if his podium sign of “repeal and replace” was absurd.
He leveled the charge of Pres. Obama raising taxes, that Obamacare was a job-killer that also brings government too far into our lives. However, in the larger context Republicans have a huge problem. In the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal polling, the internals show the country split in thirds on Obamacare, with a third of the public unsure. The Roberts majority opinion will very likely move those undecided/ambivalent voters over to approving of Obamacare, however slowly it happens.
Perhaps those Republicans who are less strident and militant will be buoyed by the Roberts Court decision on Obamacare.
Pres. Obama’s statement could not have been better. Short and to the point, the President showed no surprise at all, simply affirming that leveling the playing field for all has always been his goal, which is a just action of any president.
Bravo, Taylor. I agree with every word. Thanks.
I’ll take that one, ladywalker68!
I also agree, Taylor, well said. But what do you mean by “even if his podium sign of ‘repeal and replace’ was absurd?
I think it’s a bit of a double entendre, and mildly inspired if so, with the “replace” potentially meaning “replace ACA with better law”, and also “replace Obama” (with himself, as it turns out).
Mitten’s raised $1 Million in 3 hours after Obamacare decision, and counting…
Not surprising from the Grand Old Party of the childish, the selfish and the racist…and the super wealthy. The $1 Million were probably transferred straight from Sheldon Adelson’s bank or some other billionaire friend of Mittens tax evading offshore accounts. Absolutely baffles me how anyone can applaud Romney for wanting to repeal a law that is essentially a law Romney himself championed and passed as governor.
So what. Mittens getting more money from billionaires and millionaires is not news. The wing nuts have nowhere else to go, they are stuck with the lord of the manor, so all they can do is give more money and hope for the best.
Rush said, “Boiling tea only makes it stronger”.
With this new tax I am sure the Tea Party is boiling.
limpwithnoballs squealing once again when he comes up on the opposite side of being correct…who woulda thunk it!!
But then, he has SO much practice doing that along with the entire repugnantklan/teabaggin mob don’t they? I mean, they’ve been wrong on virtually EVERY major societal issue and civil rights issue since the end of the Civil war haven’t they?
Once again Rush shows that Americans know jack shit when it comes to making a good cup of tea.
No joke, however I recently read that you should put boiling water on green tea to better release it’s anti toxic qualities.
I din’t realize Mitten’s was getting money from Hollywood celebs, millionaires and billionaires
Isn’t that Barrie?
I wonder how many Obamacare waivers were passed out at Obama fundraisers?
I’ll wait.
don’t hold your breath. The lord of the manor has gotten all his money from billionaires and millionaires like the casino clown and the Koch brothers. I don’t see average people sending a lot of money to the lord of the manor, but you can make believe that is what is happening if you want.
Always look a gift horse in the mouth. Chief Justice Roberts so beloved America (except when his court ruled on Citizen United) that he threw a lifeline to President Obama’s health care reform legislation.
Really?
Now, through the end of the election, President Obama must defend paying for HCR with the largest tax hike in history.
Also, beginning in 2015, the power of the IRS can go after if you don’t carry private insurance. By the way, since this country is hell-bent on privatizing everything from prisons to fire stations to public education, how long will it take for this country to privatize the IRS debt collection department?
Now, the phrase “show me your papers” has two meanings.
Italy has actually done that and it has people literally jumping out of windows.
I think the Republicans are going to double-down. I am not going to celebrate until I know more about this bill and how it works going forward.
Qoute of the day comes from, MittRomney.com
“As president, Mitt will nominate judges in the mold of Chief Justice Roberts …” –
Ha ha ha. The poor doofus can’t even get that right. It’s all a left wing conspiracy.
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/dewey-defeats-truman-moment-slideshow/
Here’s a nice real world example for you: I am a sole proprietor, I pay about $24M per year for health insurance. Now, I can just pay the tax until one of us gets sick and I’ll be far ahead of the game. Once we’re better, we can drop it again. Great ruling today for people like me.
New Rule: It is no longer Obamacare.
It is now the: Obama Health Care Tax.
Verrilli called it a tax throughout the arguments. That was always the legal position of the Administration.
Verrilli may have, but Barrie didn’t.
He told George Stephanopoulos it is definitely NOT a tax in his 2009 interview.
He didn’t want the biggest tax increase in history hung around his neck when he still had to run for reelection.
It is so fun listening to you and Po Widdle Troll whine and whimper….but then a good paddling WILL produce those results wont it?
I mean really, Roberts makes ONE sane decision and you people come all unglued.
This just sounds like desperation from the GOP. They said the same thing back in the 90′s that Bill Clinton had the BIGGEST TAX INCREASE EVER and everything is always the BIGGEST TAX INCREASE EVER. They are like the little boy that cried wolf. No one believes them anymore. They also said this was “socialized medicine” and “government takeover of health care” and how did that one work out for you? Not very well it seems.
You lost me at the very end, with the idea that Obama has always been fighting for the level playing field.
No President who leaves open cutting the safety net out from under the middle class in the name of Austerity is doing any such thing. Obama talks a good game when it comes to “fighting for us,” but it’s basically all talk. I wouldn’t turn my back on a guy who is so obviously in the back pocket of Wall Street.
Romney raised $4.3 million with 43,000 donations online after health ruling…