SCOUSA Upholds Healtchare Reform Law

I have to say, I am SURPRISED that the profoundly conservative majority of the Supreme Court has voted to uphold the nation's healthcare reform law. This is not something that I thought would happen.

What I am getting out of the first news reports I am hearing is that the Court decided that the entire law is Constitutional. More specifically, the majority opinion says that the law is upholdable under a taxation provision of the US Constitution, but that it was not under the commerce clause as orignally argued by the White Hosue and reform supporters. That's a bit of a twist.

So, while upholding the law under tax provisions, the Court also said that the federal government cannot require individuals to buy something as part of regulating commerce nationally...like health insurance.

I note that this also would mean going forward that laws requiring people to buy other things as part of regulating commerce would not pass muster as Constitutional...like private pension funds as part of a conservative overall of Socail Security. That's something conservatives have long talked about doing, but I seriouly doubt Republicans would try to enforce a individual mandate requiring purchase of private investment services as part of an overhaul of Social Security by relying on a TAX provision to do it. Just not their thing, and despite a keen ability to do a 180 on issues at a drop of hat...that might be a bit much for even them. So, the ruling today might be a double whammy against the conservative agenda.

One person who should be a bit perplexed by the decision today is Mitt Romney. After all, he championed and successuflly passed a very, very similar law in Massachesetts when he was governor. So, he was correct on what was best for Americans by supporting this reform back in the day, right? But he also has consistenly railed against the national healthcare reform law since he began running for President. Odd to run against the exact thing you championed previously. But that's Mitt for you.

But, all that being said, with its decision today the Supreme Court has upheld that:

• Expands coverage to 32 million Americans who are currently uninsured
• Health insurers cannot turn you down for coverage based on pre-existing conditions
• Insurance companies could no longer denying children coverage based on a preexisting condition

Do I think that a little thing like a ruling by the Supreme Court will stop Republicans and conservatives from trying to get rid of this law - in some way, some how? Hell no. If anything, this will compell them to double down on new and creative was to either effectively neuter the law or - if they gain majority power and the Presidency - just straight out repeal the law legislatively. You watch...that's what Mitt will run on now.

Santorum Wins Benefit Obama

If you are a Democrat, Obama supporter or simply someone who cannot stomach turning the reigns of government back to the very people and ideas that crashed our economy, ran up the debt and entangled us in wars in the middle east...

...the victories last night in the Republican primaries in Colorado, Missouri and Minnesota by Rick Santorum are valuable for three reasons:

• First, it means front runner Mitt Romney must keep his focus on his Republican challengers rather than Obama. Mitt has to spend time, money and resources battling it out with the likes of Rick and Newt rather than making stuff up about Obama and repeating it over and over again like it's the truth. Romney's dilemma benefits Obama.
• Second, it signals that the hard core social conservatives are still very powerful in the R party...which of course is not the mindset of mainstream American. The more Rick wins, the more planks from his very, very conservative platform will need to be taken seriously by the Republican party as they nominate their general election candidate and what he will run on - no matter who gets the nod.
•  Third, Rick's wins just strings out the whole Republican nominating process...opening up more opportunities for the R candidates to say things that will get them in trouble "I pay 15% tax," "colonies on the moon," "abolish birth control," "I'm not concerned with poor people," etc., etc., etc. The circus continues and as it meanders along, it tosses out "gotcha" material for the Democrats to use later in the general election.

Thanks Rick.