Like Nancy Pelosi and the rest of the nation, I’m still working through what to make of today’s Supreme Court ruling upholding the ObamaCare individual mandate, not as a mandate, but as a tax. It’s been more difficult for me because of unfortunate timing — I spent most of the day either in an airport or on a plane, and while I did have connectivity here and there it wasn’t the best of circumstances to wrap my head around such a complex decision. And make no mistake, the ObamaCare decision is a complex one. If today’s decision did nothing else, it destroyed the left’s image of the Roberts court as predictably swinging from the right. Roberts himself comes out of today as perhaps the most mercurial and strategic thinker in all of American politics.
The easiest takeaway — that ObamaCare stands — is probably wrong in the end. The court left most of it in place, sure, but the states still get to chip away at it. The federal government still can issue waivers that end up cracking it and opening up the case for its unfairness. And a new president and Congress can do away with it. Today’s ruling may have made repeal easier by classifying it as a tax that cannot be filibustered against. The ruling certainly wasn’t the last word. My twitter feeds today were rocking with congressmen promising to repeal, and a vote is scheduled to do just that on July 11. The way the SCOTUS ruling may turn out to work may make the communications side of repeal easier, as ObamaCare can now be rebadged as ObamaTax. That’s really what it is, according to the four liberals on the court and its chief justice. It’s a tax, and that’s how they justified allowing it to stand. That changes everything.
When he was selling his plan to the American people, President Obama insisted that it was not a tax. He promised not to raise taxes on anyone making less than $250,000 per year.
The Supreme Court’s liberal wing plus Chief Justict Roberts have publicly charged Obama with lying to the American people.
ObamaTax is a particularly onerous and invasive tax that liberal commentators are already comparing to such mundane aspects of life as buying groceries. Will we see a federal tax/mandate for that in a second Obama administration? Buy salads instead of burgers or face the loving embrace of the IRS? Why not? They’re already banning sugary drinks on the local level. Obama II could usher in the wrath of the broccoli for all of us.
Once the American public digests the fact — not opinion now, but fact — that President Obama broke one of his core promises in enacting this law that remains unpopular, he ought to pay a heavy price for it. That he and his Democratic Party own that regressive tax lock, stock and barrel ought to heavily influence the November election. That they together foisted this tax on a public that did not support it, and that their tax has proven to be a threat to an already weak economy, ought to galvanize both business and tea party interests to fight as hard as they possibly can to help out in the repeal effort at the state and federal levels.
So that’s my take as of now. Obama won today, but his victory was Pyrrhic. ObamaTax is unlikely to last.
All adults now have a head tax on them that can be waived each year when you file your tax return and prove you have government-approved health insurance. Of course illegal aliens that file bogus tax returns to get fraudulent refunds will be exempt.
Yep, it’s a tax. That is the only way to justify the “mandate”. It has absolutely no sanction whatsoever under “Interstate Commerce” or “Necessary and Proper” clauses. The remaining basis is pretty flimsy politically as this paints anyone supporting the law as tax-’n-spenders. Roberts has, actually, constructed an opinion that expresses both judicial restraint and places firm limits on Constitutional “penumbras”. The next attempt at justifying Congressional grasps of power using IC or NaP just became orders of magnitude more difficult.
Hidden video of DNC celebration of SCOTUS ruling can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcW_Ygs6hm0
Not to mention the ol’ “good and welfare” clause invented by John Conyers… not gonna fly.
“ObamaTax is unlikely to last.”
Really? Exactly how do you think we will be able to repeal this, huh? Do you think most of the public will understand how bad this is? All they will hear is “free stuff”. And do you think Republicans will have a filibuster-proof majority ever? Ever? The moment Republicans come near this, the Dems will filibuster, and they will demonize and bully, and mushy-middle Repubs will cave. There is absolutely zero chance of this ever being repealed. None. No chance.
It is time for a revolution. We have a Congress refusing to pass a budget, a President ruling by executive fiat, and a SC unable to understand the Constitution.
Sic transit gloria mundi, America. 6/28/12, the day our Republic died.
If it is a tax it can be repealed with a simple majority via “budget reconciliation”. Recall that was the tool that the Senate used to pass O-care initially. No 60-vote cloture is necessary to halt debate on the bill.
All things considered, today’s decision was probably a good outcome as the filibuster option is gone for those trying to stop repeal, the leftosphere can no longer call the Roberts court “right wing”, the “no increased taxes” pledge of this Administration lies a smoldering pile of wreckage (those ads leading to November almost write themselves) and a definite wedge has been laid between a law being Constitutional and being good and proper in the eyes of the public. The Dred Scott decision was upheld by the SCOTUS as well but nobody would respect that precedent today!
That Justice Roberts over reached on behalf of approving this bill causes great heartburn. Although the Obama administration lied to the American people claiming that the mandate was not a tax, but then argued before the courts that it WAS simply a tax…..and that Roberts crafted a response that avoided the ‘mandate’ is simply proof that Roberts has been co-opted by the left.
I’m throwing up in my mouth and choking it down.
Give money to Romney right now. It is our last chance of stopping this abortion of a bill, which, btw, is pro Abortion.
I’m sorry that my pro-Romney rhetoric isn’t more flowery and poetic at this point.
It’s all about defeating Obama and Romney has promised to nip this piece of crap in the bud.
That’s all we’ve got now.
And…If you have a Senatorial race in your state……Toss in a few pennies to them, too.
This is it, boys and girls.
– “strategic thinker” but Mister “Balls and Strikes” who has no balls.
Ehhhh….the problem is most responsible people who would be outraged by the tax are, by definition, responsible. They have health insurance already. Their “taxes” are not going to go up as long as they send the IRS Health Insurance Gestapo “ze papers” once a year.
Once again, the brilliance of the Hastert-DeLay years are showing through, for this is yet another thing we can thank the idiots of the establishment for allowing to reach the point where it coud happen.
I like how Obama cuts off George and tries to mimick what George is saying. Then blah blah’s wasting time to avoid actually answer the question. That’s what liars do.. Is there such thing as negative inflation?
The Nationalist/Socialist failed under Hitler.
Socialism under Obama will fail because we The People Demand That It fail.
We Must Stand Together To oust This Un-American Socialist Agenda.