Posted on 06/25/2015 8:00:06 AM PDT by Kazan
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the nationwide tax subsidies under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, in a ruling that preserves health insurance for millions of Americans.
The justices said in a 6-3 ruling that the subsidies that 8.7 million people currently receive to make insurance affordable do not depend on where they live, under the 2010 health care law.
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The outcome is the second major victory for Obama in politically charged Supreme Court tests of his most significant domestic achievement. It came the same day the court gave the administration an unexpected victory by preserving a key tool the administration uses to fight housing bias.
Chief Justice John Roberts again voted with his liberal colleagues in support of the law. Roberts also was the key vote to uphold the law in 2012. Justice Anthony Kennedy, a dissenter in 2012, was part of the majority on Thursday.
"Congress passed the Affordable Care Act to improve health insurance markets, not to destroy them," Roberts wrote in the majority opinion.
In a dissent he summarized from the bench, Justice Antonin Scalia said, "We should start calling this law SCOTUScare." Using the acronym for the Supreme Court, Scalia said his colleagues have twice stepped in to save the law from what Scalia considered worthy challenges.
Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas joined the dissent, as they did in 2012.
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
Welcome to your NEW Republic where what the words say is not what they mean. The mean what we want them to mean depending on the circumstances.
NOW, SIT DOWN, SHUT UP AND PAY YOUR DAMN TAXES.
Thanks Kennedy and Roberts...you bastids.
This outcome was never in any doubt.
I'm sure the USSC will figure out how to interpret that as un-Constitutional.
Indeed. Obamacare will now be deemed a "civil right."
Supreme court missed the opportunity in this grand give away to add this to the ruling.
” And now each member of Congress SHALL, and this means what it says, be on Obamacare, and receive their healthcare from an exchange”
And that ain’t happenin...
What a precedent! Now laws can mean whatever anyone in power wants them to mean regardless of the wording or intent.
Gruber was right - we are stupid.
US Rep Jim Himes on the floor of the House tweeted that more than a few Republicans have expressed relief over the ruling.
Good men true...but so few as to be worthless posturing, now....
Congress is a toothless relic from the past, and has no say in government any more. it's sort of like the Queen of England that way... just a highly paid figurehead without any real legislative powers.
what do you mean
No republican is going to undo this, ever
The health insurance industry must be breaking out the (taxpayer funded) champagne right about now. I bet it’s the good stuff.
I hope John Benedict Roberts is stricken with a terminal illness just after Ted Cruz is elected President.
I refuse to fly or display the American Flag anymore. It now represents a Marxist nation.
Well, now I think all states can eliminate their exchanges, since they are no longer required. Why should a state pay for the cost of that administrative nightmare, when it can now be passed off to the Federal Government?
What is the purpose of state exchanges in light of the ruling?
Is anyone surprised by this?
I can't see that happening, ever. Even with a Republican president, the Dem's in the Senate would filibuster any repeal attempt.
The only shot would be for the House to defund the program. And that would lead to a huge mess, one that the GOPe would rather avoid. A sad state of affairs.
“What is the purpose of state exchanges in light of the ruling?”
Excellent point!
There is no longer the slightest moral reason to obey the system.
No moral reason. The only thing left now is fear. Fear that you will be on the wrong side of selective enforcement. Law Enforcement is already set to do it to you.
They will transition from our black robe masters to our black robed gods. We are living in interesting times, I find myself praying more than I can recall, may God have mercy on us.
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