Aa
Dems cheer high court as Romney leads GOP charge to repeal health law
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/28/12459499-dems-cheer-high-court-as-romney-leads-gop-charge-to-repeal-health-law?lite
Updated 12:00 p.m. - Democrats hailed the Supreme Court decision upholding President Barack Obama's signature health reform law as a historic validation of the legislation, while Mitt Romney led galvanized conservatives in vowing to stop at nothing less than "full repeal" of the law.
The court ruled 5-4 that the Affordable Care Act could stand as law; Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court's liberals in determining that the act's individual mandate -- the requirement that individuals purchase health insurance, or face a penalty -- was constitutional as a tax.
Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., discusses his surprise over the health care ruling and says the decision puts the law "back into the hands of the American people."
"What the court did not do on the last day of its session I will do on my first day as president," said presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, promising to seek the health reform law's repeal. He called the court's opinion both bad law and bad policy.
The decision represented an unmitigated victory for President Obama, who had championed passage of the law at considerable political expense.
But Republicans said the decision would force them to redouble their efforts to elect Mitt Romney, who's promised to undo the president's health reform law, if elected. A spokeswoman for Romney said that the presumptive Republican presidential nominee raised $200,000 for his campaign within an hour of the opinion's announcement.
In statement following the Supreme Court's backing of the Affordable Health Care Act, GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney tells supporters: "What the court did not do on its last day in session, I will do on my first day if elected. I will act to repeal Obamacare."
"This is now a time for the American people to make a choice," Romney said in remarks to reporters in downtown Washington. "Our mission is clear" if we want to get rid of Obamacare, we're going to have to replace President Obama."
Already, House Republicans scheduled a vote to repeal the law for July 11. They have made similar attempts in the past, but their legislation has failed in the Senate, where a supermajority of 60 votes are needed to advance legislation.
"Today's ruling underscores the urgency of repealing this harmful law in its entirety," said House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) in a statement. "Republicans stand ready to work with a president who will listen to the people and will not repeat the mistakes that gave our country ObamaCare."
The president, who was said to have learned of the decision alongside Vice President Joe Biden in the Oval Office, was set to address the decision this afternoon.
It was difficult, hours after the opinion was issued, to discern how the day's news would affect the long arc of the presidential campaign.
Meet the Press moderator David Gregory talks about the politics of the health care law and how it presents an opportunity for President Barack Obama to resell it to the American public.
Romney has mostly focused his criticism of Obama on the anemic state of the economy; the health reform law Romney had signed as governor of Massachusetts also included an individual mandate.
Speaking Wednesday in the swing state of Virginia, Romney said that "if the court upholds it, if they say look it passes the Constitution, it still is bad policy and that'll mean if I'm elected we are going to repeal it and replace it."
Democrats were jubilant, though, in the court's decision. Conservative justices are typically seen as controlling the high court, and their critical questions directed toward the Obama administration's lawyer seemed to signal skepticism from a majority of the justices.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), speaking on the Senate floor, said he was "pleased to see the Supreme Court put the rule of law ahead of partisanship."
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) helped shepherd the law to passage in the House as speaker in spring of 2010; Democrats lost control of the chamber in that fall's midterm elections, in part due to Republican-driven fury toward the health reform law.
"In passing health reform, we made history for our nation and progress for the American people," she said in a statement. "Today, the Supreme Court affirmed our progress and protected that right, securing a future of health and economic security for the middle class and for every American."
Democratic aides on Capitol Hill said that Pelosi this morning called Vicki Kennedy, the widow of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA), a longtime champion of health reform.
"Now, Teddy can rest," Pelosi told Kennedy.
Sen. Ben Cardin says with the ruling, the government can now more forward and give people the type of health care they need. Cardin stresses his hopes that Democrats and Republicans will work together to improve the health care system.
While the Supreme Court's opinion lets stand the Affordable Care Act, the law still invites intense political reaction from voters, and it's likely to remain as a central issue in the electoral battle for the presidency and control of Congress.
An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released earlier this week found that 37 percent of Americans said they would be pleased if the court upheld the law, while 22 percent would be disappointed.
Separately, though, more Americans -- 41 percent -- said they thought the law was a bad idea, versus 35 percent who said it was a good plan
Updated 12:00 p.m. - Democrats hailed the Supreme Court decision upholding President Barack Obama's signature health reform law as a historic validation of the legislation, while Mitt Romney led galvanized conservatives in vowing to stop at nothing less than "full repeal" of the law.
The court ruled 5-4 that the Affordable Care Act could stand as law; Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court's liberals in determining that the act's individual mandate -- the requirement that individuals purchase health insurance, or face a penalty -- was constitutional as a tax.
Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., discusses his surprise over the health care ruling and says the decision puts the law "back into the hands of the American people."
"What the court did not do on the last day of its session I will do on my first day as president," said presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, promising to seek the health reform law's repeal. He called the court's opinion both bad law and bad policy.
The decision represented an unmitigated victory for President Obama, who had championed passage of the law at considerable political expense.
But Republicans said the decision would force them to redouble their efforts to elect Mitt Romney, who's promised to undo the president's health reform law, if elected. A spokeswoman for Romney said that the presumptive Republican presidential nominee raised $200,000 for his campaign within an hour of the opinion's announcement.
In statement following the Supreme Court's backing of the Affordable Health Care Act, GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney tells supporters: "What the court did not do on its last day in session, I will do on my first day if elected. I will act to repeal Obamacare."
"This is now a time for the American people to make a choice," Romney said in remarks to reporters in downtown Washington. "Our mission is clear" if we want to get rid of Obamacare, we're going to have to replace President Obama."
Already, House Republicans scheduled a vote to repeal the law for July 11. They have made similar attempts in the past, but their legislation has failed in the Senate, where a supermajority of 60 votes are needed to advance legislation.
"Today's ruling underscores the urgency of repealing this harmful law in its entirety," said House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) in a statement. "Republicans stand ready to work with a president who will listen to the people and will not repeat the mistakes that gave our country ObamaCare."
The president, who was said to have learned of the decision alongside Vice President Joe Biden in the Oval Office, was set to address the decision this afternoon.
It was difficult, hours after the opinion was issued, to discern how the day's news would affect the long arc of the presidential campaign.
Meet the Press moderator David Gregory talks about the politics of the health care law and how it presents an opportunity for President Barack Obama to resell it to the American public.
Romney has mostly focused his criticism of Obama on the anemic state of the economy; the health reform law Romney had signed as governor of Massachusetts also included an individual mandate.
Speaking Wednesday in the swing state of Virginia, Romney said that "if the court upholds it, if they say look it passes the Constitution, it still is bad policy and that'll mean if I'm elected we are going to repeal it and replace it."
Democrats were jubilant, though, in the court's decision. Conservative justices are typically seen as controlling the high court, and their critical questions directed toward the Obama administration's lawyer seemed to signal skepticism from a majority of the justices.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), speaking on the Senate floor, said he was "pleased to see the Supreme Court put the rule of law ahead of partisanship."
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) helped shepherd the law to passage in the House as speaker in spring of 2010; Democrats lost control of the chamber in that fall's midterm elections, in part due to Republican-driven fury toward the health reform law.
"In passing health reform, we made history for our nation and progress for the American people," she said in a statement. "Today, the Supreme Court affirmed our progress and protected that right, securing a future of health and economic security for the middle class and for every American."
Democratic aides on Capitol Hill said that Pelosi this morning called Vicki Kennedy, the widow of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA), a longtime champion of health reform.
"Now, Teddy can rest," Pelosi told Kennedy.
Sen. Ben Cardin says with the ruling, the government can now more forward and give people the type of health care they need. Cardin stresses his hopes that Democrats and Republicans will work together to improve the health care system.
While the Supreme Court's opinion lets stand the Affordable Care Act, the law still invites intense political reaction from voters, and it's likely to remain as a central issue in the electoral battle for the presidency and control of Congress.
An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released earlier this week found that 37 percent of Americans said they would be pleased if the court upheld the law, while 22 percent would be disappointed.
Separately, though, more Americans -- 41 percent -- said they thought the law was a bad idea, versus 35 percent who said it was a good plan
This dumb dumb..... This plan is almost identical to the plan he touted for his state, and its a problem on the national front? Just like everyone running for office before him, he's talking from both sides of his mouth.
I'd love to take politics out of the equation, but we are talking politics and the conversation is plenty dirty regardless of what side of the laundry basket you are digging in.... the whole lot of them is sour.
I'd love to take politics out of the equation, but we are talking politics and the conversation is plenty dirty regardless of what side of the laundry basket you are digging in.... the whole lot of them is sour.
I listened to Romney, and McConnell as well. What can I say. Im not surprised and would have expected nothing less than they gave. I hope people take politics out of the equatian and discover what they are getting. And not fall for the naysayers propaganda again.
You must join this user group in order to participate in this discussion.
You are reading content posted in the Current Events . . . Group
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
