Posted on 08/09/2010 7:16:20 AM PDT by PJ-Comix
A well known political figure appears on MSNBC's Daily Rundown and announces, in the wake of Missouri voters overwhelmingly supporting Proposition C to remove the insurance mandate from ObamaCare, that it is so unpopular that it will probably be removed from that legislation or that the courts will rule it unconstitutional. So was the person who delivered this opinion a conservative Republican? Nope. It was Howard Dean, former Democrat presidential candidate and chairman of the DNC who made that statement to a surprised Chuck Todd and Savannah Guthrie.
The Daily Rundown conversation begins with Chuck Todd discussing the Proposition C landslide in Missouri:
CHUCK TODD: In Missouri this week there was referendum on the ballot. Non-binding but it was, frankly, the legislature didn't want to deal with the issue of healthcare and this mandate and about whether the state should challenge the mandate on the new healthcare plan. It got 71%. Yes, more Republicans turned out than Democrats. But 71% in Missouri, that has to make Democrats nervous, particularly in that Senate race. Robin Carnahan has got an uphill battle.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsbusters.org ...
I predicted that the insurance mandate would be thrown out, and that the dems would then use the loss of revenue as an excuse to move closer to gopvernment run health care a la canada.
The only purpose of Obamacare and the mandate is to destroy the current health care system.
Mission accomplished!
considering Dean is for a complete gov run system and not the half ass’d obama-care. His comments dont surprise me.
I thought the Donkeys were calling it a tax now which puts it in the same boat as Social Security and Medicare. On the other hand you aren’t required to pay SS and Medicare if you aren’t working but those who don’t work won’t have to buy healthcare either, it will just be given to them (much like it is now with Medicaid, the “public plan”).
The GOP should introduce legislation to exempt three groups of people from the mandate:
1- Those making less than $250,000
2- Those who do not see their premiums reduced by $2500 per year as Obama promised
3- Those who were unable to keep their present insurance coverage as Obama promised
The way that the bill was written it cannot be changed and in addition if any part is ruled unconstitutional the WHOLE bill becomes unconstitutional.San Fran Nan made it that way.
They don’t need a mandate anyway. Just make screw things up so the only rational choice is buying a government plan. Just need a few high profile cases where the uninsured get sick and the IRS garnishees their paycheck and assets and people will fall in line.
Here’s how it goes down. They back off on the mandate and play it up as them being flexible, and listening to the people. RINO republicans will crow about their big victory but it’s all irrelevant since the statists get everything they want anyway.
I hope the mandate is found unconstitutional, rather than having them repeal the mandate by statute. The reason is, the Dems were in such a hurry to pass the bill, they neglected to include a severability clause. That means that if any part of the bill is found unconstitutional, the whole bill is overturned.
The ONLY thing the GOP should do is repeal the entire thing lock stock and barrel. Anything less is a total failure for constitutional government.
My local congregation features the health care plan prominently on its bulletin board when you walk in the front door on the way to the sanctuary. Full bulletin board display on the provisions of healthcare and what provisions will kick in year by year.
Some churches feature Jesus on their bulletin boards. The Methodist church features Obamacare.
That means that if any part of the bill is found unconstitutional, the whole bill is overturned.
let’s hope so...
Wealthy people can afford to get by without insurance, paying out of pocket. An exemption won't do the rest of us any good -- we *need* insurance. And Obamacare is going to destroy the private health insurance industry for those of us who need it.
The focus on the individual mandate is misplaced. You can eliminate the mandate, but if the rest of Obamacare stands, we who need health insurance will be left with few options other than crappy, expensive health plans.
However, the focus on the mandate by the state attorneys general who are suing, is the best way to get Obamacare ruled unconstitutional. The law has no severance clause, so if one bit is found unconstitutional, the whole thing collapses.
But if we lose in the courts, removing the mandate legislatively, while getting the wealthy off the hook, would still leave the rest of us screwed.
Around the time of the final Obama-care push Dean like most democrats jumped on board just to have a democrat win against Republicans. But Howard Dean was already on record for opposing that bill, which was basically the Senate Bill (with more taxes and pork) with mandates without a public option. He had previously told progressives to kill the Senate bill. Progressives hated the idea of a mandate to private insurance companies, but they sold out their principles for a D win against Republicans. Now they must live with it.
I hope the mandate is found unconstitutional, rather than having them repeal the mandate by statute. The reason is, the Dems were in such a hurry to pass the bill, they neglected to include a severability clause. That means that if any part of the bill is found unconstitutional, the whole bill is overturned.
__________________________________
Are you sure there is no severability clause? I find that hard to believe (as an attorney who has drafted model legislation)....Admittedly, I don’t know...
Yes, last week I saw interviews with Virginia's Ken Cuccinelli and Florida's Bill McCollum -- and both of them mentioned that there is no severance clause.
Watch for the dems to pull something like “deeming” it to be severable.
They’ll try to get around the whole bill being declared void.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.