Posted on 05/13/2016 9:01:42 AM PDT by Sean_Anthony
Federal court to Obama: Sorry, champ, you can't spend money on ObamaCare if Congress didn't allocate it
It seemed an astoundly obvious case. The power of the purse belongs to Congress, and the executive branch can’t just spend money if Congress never passed a bill allocating the money. But ths is the presidency of Barack Obama, where things like the Constitution and balances of power are mere puzzles to be solved by a power-crazed executive. Remember, this is the guy who regularly declares, “If Congress won’t act, I will!”
No, champ. If Congress won’t act, you can’t. That’s how the system is supposed to work. But Obama was determined to spend federal money reimbursing health insurers for their ObamaCare losses. As with so many other things ObamaCare, if the White House has to respect the discretion of Congress, the whole damn thing falls to pieces. So Congress or no Congress, law or no law, they have to spend the money. To do otherwise would to see their golden goose slain.
took the words out of my mouth
Except the judge stayed her own ruling. For the non-legal aware, ‘stay’ means block the ruling.
That means Obama can go right ahead and spend the money however they want. Congress has to appeal the stay which could take another year or so.
So this is a nothing burger.
The ruling essentially says “you can’t do that! But I’m not stopping you!”
Even the courts do Kabuki theater now. What a pathetic joke this government has become.
Obama to court: “Kiss off... I’ll do whatever I want”.
Exactly. It is meaningless as usual when it comes anyone stopping unconstitutional executive actions.
Nixon got slapped down for not spending money Congress allocated.
Obama spends money Congress didn’t allocate.
Not to worry. Congresscritters will roll over and pucker up for the Big O.
Can’t do it. Unconstitutional, to paraphrase the decision.
Obama: Watch me.
I’m not saying this ruling is wrong - I just don’t know enough about how congress works to understand it.
The cost sharing reduction part was already in the plan voted on in the middle of the night on a weekend behind closed doors. so it is part of Obamacare just like the subsidies for premiums are.
why would congress have to vote to fund these every year? And if they do, shouldn’t the subsidies for premiums be treated the same way?
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