Expect swift opinions in Supreme Court health care ruling

Harry · June 28, 2012

WASHINGTON – Tea Party and union members, liberals and conservatives, Republicans and Democrats have two things in common as the Supreme Court prepares to announce its verdict on President Obama's health care law Thursday.

They have no clue what the court will decide. And they will have plenty to say outside the court immediately after — in high praise or denunciation.

Much like the court's three days of oral arguments on the Affordable Care Act in late March, Thursday will feature a crowded, hushed courtroom and a cacophonous series of sidewalk demonstrations.

For some lawyers and lawmakers who have fought the health care battle for years — and in some cases, decades — it's an opportunity to witness history inside the marble courthouse.

"There's an atmosphere of intense, quiet excitement," says Neal Katyal, who represented the Obama administration before the court as acting solicitor general in 2010-11. "People are sitting in that room knowing history is about to be made."

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/judicial/story/2012-06-27/supreme-court-health-care/55872562/1?csp=34news

UNT90 · June 28, 2012

WASHINGTON Tea Party and union members, liberals and conservatives, Republicans and Democrats have two things in common as the Supreme Court prepares to announce its verdict on President Obama's health care law Thursday.

They have no clue what the court will decide. And they will have plenty to say outside the court immediately after in high praise or denunciation.

Much like the court's three days of oral arguments on the Affordable Care Act in late March, Thursday will feature a crowded, hushed courtroom and a cacophonous series of sidewalk demonstrations.

For some lawyers and lawmakers who have fought the health care battle for years and in some cases, decades it's an opportunity to witness history inside the marble courthouse.

"There's an atmosphere of intense, quiet excitement," says Neal Katyal, who represented the Obama administration before the court as acting solicitor general in 2010-11. "People are sitting in that room knowing history is about to be made."

Read more: http://www.usatoday....62/1?csp=34news

Which ever way you lean on this issue, you have to admire the confidentiality of all members of the Supreme Court who have known which way the decision will go for quite some time. Not just justices, but their clerks and many of their staff.

High tension in the final hours.

KRAM1 · June 28, 2012

About 9AM this morning...that's 5 min. from now...at 9AM or shortly there after we should have the answer....then later today we see if the House goes through with it censure vote on the AG for his stonewalling on "Fast and Furious"...big day, folks...

FirefightnRick · June 28, 2012

Individual mandate will be a tax.

Rick

Edited June 28, 2012 by FirefightnRick

KRAM1 · June 28, 2012

Well, FFR's view is a bit premature...the SC ruled that the mandate is not valid under the Commerce Clause as the O administration insisted it was, BUT that the mandate MIGHT could survive as a TAX! Just what the libs love...another TAX! I can see Obama, Reid and Pelosi salivating now at the prospect of a new tax...but, it was a messy ruling full of technical and legal "stuff" that might take a while to sort out...sort of "kicking the can down the road" by the SC. So, the SC "wags its finger" at Obama with the "Commerce Clause" thing, but gives him and his allies an out if they want to make it a tax...or try to do so.

You may recall that O and his group said adamantly over and over and over again that the mandate was NOT A TAX! Let's see how he flip flops on that with the speed of light and claims victory and works quickly to make it a tax!!!!

Stand by..the fat lady hasn't started to sing as yet, and this really has not solved much it looks like with the early read on things....seems just as messy now as it was before the ruling.

Fun times ahead....

Edited June 28, 2012 by KRAM1

FirefightnRick · June 28, 2012

Medicade expansion struck down.

Rick

CMJ · June 28, 2012

My take is more like this....

(Granted, only from having read summaries and thoughts of other people)

The justices spent most of the day trying to find a way to strike down the mandate but keep most of the rest of the law (about which the constitutionality is less in doubt), then realized how integral it was to the thing, and threw up their hands in frustration. I think it's gonna stand, 5-4, with the four liberal justices upholding it on the Commerce Clause and Kennedy coming up with some reason of their own to uphold it (possibly because he sees the tax penalty as a legitimate lack of coercion).

I only missed on Roberts instead of Roberts instead of Kennedy.

Censored by Laurie · June 28, 2012

Well...this should be a fun thread today...

Censored by Laurie · June 28, 2012

Crickets?

What a bunch of kill-joys.

GreenMachine · June 28, 2012

Well...this should be a fun thread today...

Skinny legs and jean shorts? Dude!

FirefightnRick · June 28, 2012

Obama telling ABC health mandate is not a tax back in '09.

.."President Obama signaled in our interview that he was prepared to address some of the concerns raised by key Senator Jay Rockefeller, who called the Baucus bill a “big middle class tax increase” this week.

That means he’ll support more subsidies for middle class families.

But in our most spirited exchange, the President refused to accept the argument that a mandate to buy health insurance is equivalent to a tax...."

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2009/09/obama-mandate-is-not-a-tax/

Rick

Edited June 28, 2012 by FirefightnRick

UNT90 · June 28, 2012

Ok, so does this means that this has to go back to congress for the "tax" to be approved? If so, that ain't gonna happen.

Greenrex · June 28, 2012

Brace yourselves. Everyone on GMG is about to become a Constitutional Scholar.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · June 28, 2012

I have two opinions about the opinion:

(1) I already buy health insurance, so the tax would not apply to me anyway.

(2) I sell health insurance, so it will be good for my business.

(3) I saw the Scorpions last night at Verizon with Tesla as the opening act.

FirefightnRick · June 28, 2012

Cantor: House will vote on repeal on July 11

http://www.politico.com/blogs/on-congress/2012/06/cantor-house-will-vote-on-repeal-week-of-july-127555.html

Update: vote will be July 11th.

Rick

Edited June 28, 2012 by FirefightnRick

FirefightnRick · June 28, 2012

.
(3) I saw the Scorpions last night at Verizon with Tesla as the opening act.

Love em both. How was Tesla? Do they still got it?

Rick

Censored by Laurie · June 28, 2012

Skinny legs and jean shorts? Dude!

Clearly an internet stock-photo. My jorts are always cut-offs.

GreenMachine · June 28, 2012

My jorts are always cut-offs.

That wouldn't suprise me a bit. Jorts and D&D, nice!

Censored by Laurie · June 28, 2012

That wouldn't suprise me a bit. Jorts and D&D, nice!

Yup...you've got me pegged, champ.

UNTFan23 · June 28, 2012

Well, that helps address some of the uncertainty in the private sector. There's still future taxes and regulations looming in many business leaders minds so I don't see the private sector looking to hire tons of new workers just yet. I don't think unemployment will be dropping under 8% any time soon despite the SCOTUS ruling.

It is still yet to be seen how the ACA will affect people's health insurance premiums that already have insurance once all the law comes into effect. It will also be interesting to see if companies decide to keep employer provided insurance plans or if they'll just pay whatever fine and let their employees find their own insurance plans.

Edited June 28, 2012 by UNTFan23

FirefightnRick · June 28, 2012

http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/06/how-the-dnc-is-celebrating-127543.html

Head of the DNC tweets.

..."...the SCOTUS ruling, in three words, from executive director @patrickgaspard:

'it's constitutional. Bitches."....

Remind me again, which side is at war with women?

Rick

Edited June 28, 2012 by FirefightnRick

meangreenacct · June 28, 2012

Well, that helps address some of the uncertainty in the private sector. There's still future taxes and regulations looming in many business leaders minds so I don't see the private sector looking for people to hire tons of new workers just yet. I don't think unemployment will be dropping under 8% any time soon despite the SCOTUS ruling.

It is still yet to be seen how the ACA will affect people's health insurance premiums that already have insurance once all the law comes into effect. It will also be interesting to see if companies decide to keep employer provided insurance plans or if they'll just pay whatever fine and let their employees find their own insurance plans.

This might be a dumb question, but if Companies were going to do this, why wouldn't they have done it with or without this law?

meangreenacct · June 28, 2012

http://www.politico....ing-127543.html

Head of the DNC tweets.

..."...the SCOTUS ruling, in three words, from executive director @patrickgaspard:

'it's constitutional. Bitches."....

Remind me again, which side is at war with women?

Rick

Probably the ones who are passing legislation that many women perceive will negatively impact them, not so much the one who uses a common phrase people use in emphasis of a point or perceived winning situation.

Censored by Laurie · June 28, 2012

Probably the ones who are passing legislation that many women perceive will negatively impact them, not so much the one who uses a common phrase people use in emphasis of a point or perceived winning situation.

Bitchin' answer.