ObamaCare on Supreme Court docket; decision due by June
The U.S. Supreme Court has decided to hear a challenge to the health-insurance reform package known by some as ObamaCare, with results of the case due to be announced by next June, just as the 2012 presidential campaign goes into full swing.
It’s going to be the most politically charged Supreme Court decision since the justices decided who should be president in Bush v. Gore, and after the intellectual gymnastics on display in that case, I can’t pretend to believe that politics won’t play a role in the outcome of this case as well.
UPDATE, 11:30 a.m.:
The case accepted by the justices comes out of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals here in Atlanta, and the state of Georgia is among the plaintiffs in the case. By a 2-1 margin, the 11th Circuit decision overturned the individual mandate at the heart of the controversy. (The mandate was initially a conservative idea, championed by the Heritage Foundation and Newt Gingrich, and first implemented in Massachusetts by then-Gov. Mitt Romney. It became a right-wing target only after President Obama embraced it as part of his approach.)
A new CNN poll also suggests that public opinion on the reform may be shifting:
According to the poll, 52% of Americans favor mandatory health insurance, up from 44% in June. The survey indicates that 47% oppose the health insurance mandate, down from 54% in early summer.
“The health insurance mandate has gained most support since June among older Americans and among lower-income Americans,” says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. “A majority of independents opposed the measure in June, but 52 percent of them now favor it.”
– Jay Bookman
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432 comments Add your comment
Paulo977
November 14th, 2011
3:20 pm
Stevie Ray
: not any of his social programs did much exept initiate the evolution of an entitlement, and reliance on government metality…
Mary Elizabeth , I am afraid the job of educating the general public about the necessity for NHC in the US is a giant task!!! I applaud your efforts . At this moment in time, we are too selfish, self-centered and ignorant about its societal maintaining power , to come out in support of it!!! God help us!
AmVet - Read my lips. No new neo-cons.
November 14th, 2011
3:21 pm
Streetracer, very cool. And LOL at the grandkids! (Poor things, being brainwashed into being Tigers!)
Alas, I only spent one year in North Platte – we moved there from Kansas between my junior and senior years of high school. Dad got laid off at Boeing and went to work for the UP. So I know about 10 people there total!
But it was right after those back to bakers under Devaney and the place was understandably Cornhusker Crazy!
That Black guy
November 14th, 2011
3:30 pm
mm
November 14th, 2011
2:48 pm
I guess thta’s why all the jobs have been shipped overseas and unemployment s 9%.
ALL the jobs were shipped overseas?!?!?
What the heck am I doing in this office building, behind this desk, with this guy giving me project deadlines. Quick, someone tell him ALL the jobs were shipped overseas.
Tony Stark
November 14th, 2011
3:30 pm
Paul 3:10 no you didn’t.
Go reread your comments. You have some fundamental English language shortcomings. Go look up “redistribution”.
“redistribution” does not mean what Paul thinks it means.
Paul
November 14th, 2011
3:33 pm
Afternoon, AmVet
And I get another case of “care to explain your comment, given N” and the response follows Hannity Talking Point 3, unrelated, followed by “I think I’ll leave now….”
It’s getting all too common.
That Black guy
November 14th, 2011
3:35 pm
Paul
November 14th, 2011
3:19 pm
Paul, USinUK’s question was not what they charge you, it was, will they treat someone FROM Kansas. The answer is YES.
Paul
November 14th, 2011
3:36 pm
Tony!
Glad you didn’t leave. If you take exception to the definition, don’t you think it’s your responsibility to list a ‘correct’ definition rather than simply rejecting?
Why do you think redistribution flows only from the top down and not from the middle up?
How do you explain the nearly 300 percent increase in top income compared to flatline in the middle class?
Or do you think the income growth did not happen?
gm
November 14th, 2011
3:36 pm
Uncle Clarance and his wife took money from the heritage Foudation why should he be allowed to make this vote?
Please uncle clarence tell me how can you marry a wife that is a bigot against minorties and poor people, oh, I know she tell you that you are different.
Two of the most disconnected black men in the history of this country, Uncle Clarence and Uncle Cain, these people are disgrace from the history of their culture to the future culture””””
Streetracer
November 14th, 2011
3:36 pm
AMVet @ 3:21:
If your dad got laid off from Boeing, you must have been in Witchta (sp?) My dad was born in Russel and moved to Silana when he was 12. After his father died, he took his crippled mother to Omaha to live with a sister and brother-in law. He was 18. My ancestors were some of the folks that made the wild west wild. If you study “Bleeding Kansas” you will see both Todd and Perrill names.
Paul
November 14th, 2011
3:37 pm
That Black Guy
I gathered that. So I understand Grady is a public hospital in Atlanta that will treat anyone from anyplace for no charge?
Paul
November 14th, 2011
3:44 pm
Tony Stark
Care to guess who’s keeping afloat the nearly 1,500 people with incomes over $1,000,000 who paid zero income tax in 2009?
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2011/08/irs-1470-millionaires-paid-no-income-tax-in-09/1
That Black guy
November 14th, 2011
3:44 pm
Paul
November 14th, 2011
3:37 pm
Paul, I reread what I wrote twice, and NOWHERE did I say they would treat someone from Kansas for “NO CHARGE”. Nowhere did USinUK ask if they would treat someone from Kansas for “no charge”. So far, YOU are the only one making that statement, but that statement has nothing to do with the question that USinUK asked, which was:
“wow – Grady now treats people from Kansas??”
Notice anything about costs in that question?
Tony Stark
November 14th, 2011
3:44 pm
Paul 3:36
I didn’t say which direction it flows. You have reading comp issues.
I said prove your assumption that money has been transferred from the middle class to the rich. You have failed to do so, so I will conclude that since you can’t prove your points then this discussion is at a close.
Tony Stark
November 14th, 2011
3:47 pm
Paul 3:44
Yep. 1,500 out of the over 3 million “millionaire” households. So the other 2,998,500 millionaires that paid more than the middle class are to be ignored?
Ok, no wonder you’re so confused…..
Get serious Paul. Its only the future of the country we’re discussing after all.
Paul
November 14th, 2011
3:50 pm
That Black Guy
Don’t get so excited. I wasn’t repeating what you ’said.’ I was asking you a question.
Paul
November 14th, 2011
4:04 pm
Tony Stark
Here on this blog, what you are doing is called ‘diversion.”
You said “Amvet. The 1% keep the other 99% afloat. You should be thankful. Ingrate.”
I responded “Care to demonstrate, given the income redistribution from the middle class to the top 1% over the past few decades, how it’s not the 99% not only keeping the top 1% afloat, but allowing them to expand their worth?”
The diversion comes in asserting “I didn’t say which direction if flows.”
Focus.
The point was, the top 1% saw an explosion in worth. The middle class either did not or saw reduction. Redistribution goes both ways. Given the tax law advantages the top group got put into effect to benefit them, in this case it seems the results show it went all to the top.
Point also is, you’re emphasizing one phrase and its definition to avoid addressing the larger concept.
Paul
November 14th, 2011
4:06 pm
Tony
The rest of your post: you’re back to talking about taxes paid. My point was wealth accumulation, not tax payments.
Fo-o-o-o-o-o-cus.
#occupy my desk...
November 14th, 2011
4:22 pm
You know, if our current economic situation is telling us anything, it is that we can definitely afford another huge unfunded, uncappable liability. I think we need to be going the other direction folks.
PS – CNN is not exactly the bastion of unbiased polling.
Paul
November 14th, 2011
4:22 pm
Tony
Doesn’t Hannity have a talking point for this?
Paul
November 14th, 2011
4:25 pm
Tony
Limbaugh?
Doesn’t he have a talking point for this?
Paul
November 14th, 2011
4:34 pm
Tony
Boortz? He likes money topics.
Surely he has a talking point you can use?
That Black guy
November 14th, 2011
5:06 pm
Paul
November 14th, 2011
3:50 pm
Paul, not excited, just trying to be accurate.
In answer to YOUR question, “Grady is a public hospital in Atlanta that will treat anyone from anyplace for no charge?”
no
Paul
November 14th, 2011
5:10 pm
That Black guy
I’ve seen Grady mentioned on this blog several times. I was under the impression it’s a public hospital for those who are poor or without insurance? And from your remarks I infer they’re like other hospitals who’ll take anyone from anywhere who can pay.
Do you know their conditions for treating poor people? As I said, it’s on here a lot and my only other point of reference is the Dallas hospital who, as I said, will not treat poor outside Tarrant county.
Billybob
November 14th, 2011
5:34 pm
hussein’s only achievement, in the eyes of the radical libs, will be shot down and he be in deep doo doo in Nov election……including many dem senators and all the rino’s as well……enjoy libs
Billybob
November 14th, 2011
5:41 pm
the occupiers’ will not treat the homeless either…….how terrible……or hypocritical depending on where you sit……either way hussein and jones’s occupying/organizing army is helping conservatives…..so thanks libs again….please keep talking and protesting…….
From the Right
November 14th, 2011
6:02 pm
To you left-wing airheads on this blog:
It probably has never crossed your mind that the overwhelming majority of conservatives believe that all citizens of the United States should be offered a chance to receive universal healthcare. BUT, not as a government-mandated system that the Republicans were shut out on having any input. Do you airheads truly believe that the ObummerStealthScare Plan was fair and honest – AND above board? If you believe that you are in serious need of a frontal lobotomy and some extensive rehab for the next decade. Healthcare for the citizens of the US? Yes. The ObummerStealthScare Plan? not no but HELL NO!
TruthBe
November 14th, 2011
6:11 pm
First of all obamacare is UNCONSTITUTIONAL. Because the Federal Government doesn’t have the right to FORCE Citizens to purchase anything from them period. Read the Constitution and see it for yourself. BUT the Supreme Court has been stacked with Communist traitors from Comrade Obama. Kagen is also a communist. Read her College thesis about how she is a socialist in NY and thinks America should be transformed just like Comrade Obama thinks. http://www.redstate.com/erick/2010/05/14/princeton-demands-we-not-show-you-elegan-kagans-socialist-thesis/. These people will lie, cheat, commit crimes, do anything to pass their evil agenda. They know NOTHING will be done about it or any prosecution for their crimes. aka: Eric (Waco) Holder. Corrupt Mainstreet Media including ajc.
Susan McGuire
November 14th, 2011
7:28 pm
Unlike a lot of people, I honestly believe that Justice Kagan is a person of character and integrity, and will have no choice but to recuse herself from this case. I like and admire Justice Kagan very much, but it really bothered me to see her nominated to the Supreme Court for this very reason. She helped write this law, and discussed potential legal attacks and defenses for it…and there’s simply no way around that. And without her, the best possible outcome is probably a 4-4 split…and that would enable the 11th Circuit decision (against the mandate) to stand.
I wish that President Obama had thought this through, and had either found another justice nominee or else had used Justice Kagan in another position in the white house. No matter how much pressure there will be from liberals, I don’t think we’ll be able to push into not doing something that her own character and honesty demand.
TruthBe
November 14th, 2011
9:55 pm
Susan McGuire, Are you a Communist like Kagan? Kagan is UNFIT to serve on the Supreme Court because she doesn’t believe in the US Constitution. Don’t believe me than ask her.
just me
November 15th, 2011
2:05 am
Can’t anybody see that when a government can throw you in jail for not buying something, that is not freedom of choice, it’s not freedom of anything, it’s control at a level that doesn’t make this America anymore and surley not the land of the free. Let’s hear it for all the sheeple out there who buy this stuff hook line and sinker and supported the destruction of this country through sheer stupidity.
Lakeisha Jackson
November 15th, 2011
10:34 am
Am I the only person who believes that…if, instead of a mandate to purchase health insurance, there were a law requiring every family to purchase a handgun for their own protection (since, as someone earlier said, the police can’t be everywhere all the time)…then it would be the democrats who are pounding the table and insisting it is clearly unconstitutional?
Supreme Conflict
November 15th, 2011
10:49 am
Clarence Thomas and Anthony Scalia attended a Republican fundraiser and the attorney who will argue against Obamacare was in attendance. This is a BLATANT CONFLICT OF INTEREST and they both should step down. SHAME ON CLARENCE THOMAS AND ANTHONY SCALIA.
Clarence Thomas’ wife is a lobbyist who is against Obamacare.
“You can’t dance with the devil and expect to go home with Jesus”!