Obamacare Upheld; Individual Mandates are a "tax" .

I'm not sure why folks seem so surprised (4.00 / 3)

After all, we have here a conservative SCOTUS ruling that a conservative idea -- the individual mandate -- is constitutional.  As Markos says ...

Looks like Mitt Romney's BIG IDEA is Constitutional.

Like you, I'm waiting on Medicare for All ... and this ruling probably puts that off a little longer.

Work harder and work smarter!

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by: mooncat @ Thu Jun 28, 2012 at 15:36:08 PM UTC

Nancy Pelosi is a heck of a classy lady (4.00 / 4)

What did she do after hearing the Court had upheld the Affordable Care Act?

Nancy Pelosi called Vicki Kennedy, widow of former Senator Ted Kennedy and said ... "Now Teddy can rest."

He earned it.

Work harder and work smarter!

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by: mooncat @ Thu Jun 28, 2012 at 15:47:52 PM UTC

For Ted! (4.00 / 2)

 Quote of the year goes to Nancy Pelosi!

October 2012 was the 332nd consecutive month with a global temperature above the 20th century average. The last month with below-average temperature was February 1985. - N.O.A.A.

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by: Dragontide @ Thu Jun 28, 2012 at 16:07:07 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I was at the gym when the decision came down (4.00 / 4)

And I did the Snoopy "happy dance" when the TV's flashed the news.

The old guy who does his best to turn EVERY TV in the place on Fox notNews when he gets there had a distinct "weaned on a pickle" look, but two other women on treadmills gave me big smiles & fist pumps.

A good, good day....

"The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness."  - John Kenneth Galbraith

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by: countrycat @ Thu Jun 28, 2012 at 16:01:03 PM UTC

Medicaid (4.00 / 2)

I have been online since 9:00 am trying to get a feel for what this decision really says. I guess we'll have a much better idea after we hear from the President later today.

There is a definite undercurrent from some on the far left of "yes they upheld it but poor folks got screwed again"

But is that really what happened? I am hearing that what the court struck down was the all-or-nothing "expand Medicaid or get no Medicaid money" but left the "if you want more Medicaid money, you have to implement the expansion".

Yes, that gives states the option of "opting out" but take Alabama as an example. Given our budget shortfall, do you think the group in Montgomery will pass up an opportunity to score more funds? I think they'll grab the check and worry about the consequences later.

They'll do do the right thing, not because it's right but because they're greedy.

"If guns kept America safe, then America would surely be the safest country in the whole world." - Rep. Carolyn Maloney

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by: mpmarus @ Thu Jun 28, 2012 at 16:19:24 PM UTC

I don't know yet (4.00 / 2)

This explanation is from SCOTUSblog:

The bottom line is that: (1) Congress acted constitutionally in offering states funds to expand coverage to millions of new individuals; (2) So states can agree to expand coverage in exchange for those new funds; (3) If the state accepts the expansion funds, it must obey by the new rules and expand coverage; (4) but a state can refuse to participate in the expansion without losing all of its Medicaid funds; instead the state will have the option of continue the its current, unexpanded plan as is.

There's more where that came from.  As they say, it's complicated.

Work harder and work smarter!

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by: mooncat @ Thu Jun 28, 2012 at 16:34:57 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Medicare: (4.00 / 3)

 Only one ball to sink now. Easier than trying to run the table.

October 2012 was the 332nd consecutive month with a global temperature above the 20th century average. The last month with below-average temperature was February 1985. - N.O.A.A.

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by: Dragontide @ Thu Jun 28, 2012 at 17:27:30 PM UTC