Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Mr. Palau]

HOORAY! The governement actually has the power to tax you! (it was upheld under the power of the government to tax, not the commerce clause.)

Interesting fact, Chief Justice Roberts crossed over instead of justice Kennedy, who is the usual swing vote. My reasoning is that Roberts wanted to preserve the prestige of the court, since ruling the mandate unconstitutional would diminish the court in the eyes of the people, and make it look more partisan. Also if they had overruled all of the law, this would have been the first time since FDR that a presiden'ts signiture policy achievment was ruled unconstitutional.

Still awaiting ruling on medicare, Although TV says so far that medicare mandate for states was unconstitutional (as in they lose all medicare funds if they do not participate in the program.). Majority of states challenged this law, so majority will opt-out (which is an option now.). that means the pool will be greatly reduced, and hence make the market less efficent.

Yeah heard more, the court definatly said that the threat to of withdrawing all medicare funds is unconstitutional. The law has practiaclly been gutted.

[nenjin]

The mandate didn't stand however. It'll go back to Congress.

Or....not? Man, CNN can't decide what it wants its headline to be.

[RedKing]

Looks like the bill was was upheld in its entirety. That's a bit surprising, and it's a prestige blow to the Tea Party, who rose to power in part on promises to deep-six the bill.

Ironically, this could actually be a boon to them because it'll fire up their supporters that much more for November. But it's also a victory for a lot of Obama supporters, who finally have something to feel good about for a change.

[Mrhappyface]

Ok? As long as I don't get taxed more for less.

[Heron TSG]

Wait, so is the bill 'gutted' as Mr. Palau said, or is it upheld? I'm finding articles for both at all sorts of time signatures everywhere.

EDIT: Fox News said it was upheld, so I figure it must be true. (Since they can't seem to spin it any other way.)

PSEUDO-EDIT: I also just recalled that the SCOTUS had a website. Jubilation!

Ok? As long as I don't get taxed more for less.

Things shall carry on as they have for the past few years, with regards to federal healthcare tax and benefits.

[RedKing]

Everything I'm seeing says upheld in its entirety. Individual mandate and all.

[Moghjubar]

Best news I heard all week, even with the medicare thing.  It at least has a chance to go forward now.

Albeit, a small one, when every republican threatens to repeal it immediately as soon as they get majority.

[Heron TSG]

Apparently Romney wants to turn the bill into a major issue now that it has been ruled entirely constitutional.

*headdesk*

[RedKing]

Yeah, both sides already had canned responses ready to go no matter what the outcome was. I'll be fascinated to see what the conservative pundits have to say about Chief Justice Roberts after this. Is he suddenly an "activist" judge now?

It is interesting that Roberts stated that the mandate would not be constitutional under the commerce clause, but *is* constitutional as a form of taxation. To my mind, that actually strengthens the argument for a single-payer system, because it makes more sense for a tax to provide for government-provided benefits rather than be rerouted to private-market suppliers.

[nenjin]

I'll be fascinated to see what the conservative pundits have to say about Chief Justice Roberts after this. Is he suddenly an "activist" judge now?

Probably the same thing democrats have always said; that the justices they agree with are held hostage by the ones they don't.

[Mrhappyface]

It works for universities though.

[RedKing]

House Speaker John Boehner renewed calls to reverse the Obama administration's signature health care overhaul after Thursday's Supreme Court decision upholding the act, saying the decision "underscores the urgency of repealing this harmful law in its entirety."

Yes...now that it's been judged legal and constitutional, it's even MORE pernicious and illegal.
:insaneorangetrolllogic

[palsch]

Wait, so is the bill 'gutted' as Mr. Palau said, or is it upheld? I'm finding articles for both at all sorts of time signatures everywhere.

The 'gutted' part is in reference to the Medicaid expansion. States will be able to entirely opt out of the ACA's Medicaid provisions without penalty, so a great deal of the good stuff in there can be blocked by states opting not to implement it.

One thing worth noting here is this is state's opting to suffer. The Federal government was offering 100% of the costs of the Medicaid expansion for the first two years (2014-16) and 90% out to 2020. State's that make an ideological stand are putting that ideology over the healthcare of their residents very explicitly. I'm not sure that's a winning political strategy.

Oh, some handy links;
The opinions. Lots and lots of words there.
SCOTUS blog's live coverage. Early analysis already starting.

[Vattic]

I get impression congratulations are in order; Am I right in saying this is one step closer to the cheaper generally equal in quality European style healthcare? Being more interested in my own countries politics I haven't really been following this.

[Mrhappyface]

America should not emulate Europe in such regards.