The inside story of how John Roberts negotiated to save Obamacare

CNN ^ | 21 Mar 19 | Joan Biskupic

[SkyPilot]

Chief Justice John Roberts arrived at the Valletta campus of the University of Malta on July 3, 2012, to teach a class on Supreme Court history. As he emerged from the back seat of a black sedan, he held his brown leather briefcase in front of him, almost as a shield. He wore a blue blazer, striped button-down shirt, and tan khakis. His clothes looked crisp, though his face was haggard. He was as exhausted and distressed as he had been in years. Roberts had left behind a storm in Washington over his opinion upholding President Barack Obama's health-care overhaul -- the Affordable Care Act -- a stunning validation of Obama's signature domestic achievement that transformed public perceptions of the chief justice. Republicans in Congress had been fighting the law dubbed Obamacare at every turn for two years, and all the GOP presidential candidates in 2012 had vowed to repeal it. And now Roberts, a nominee of President George W. Bush, had saved it. Going forward, the chief justice would be viewed with skepticism by conservatives, despite also having taken the lead on limiting racial remedies and voting rights, helping roll back campaign finance regulations and voting for stronger Second Amendment gun rights. Roberts' moves behind the scenes were as extraordinary as his ruling. He changed course multiple times. He was part of the majority of justices who initially voted in a private conference to strike down the individual insurance mandate -- the heart of the law -- but he also voted to uphold an expansion of Medicaid for people near the poverty line. Two months later, Roberts had shifted on both. The final tallies, 5-4 to uphold the individual mandate and 7-2 to curtail the Medicaid plan, came after weeks of negotiations and trade-offs among the justices.

[Beagle8U]

‘American pie’ for three?

[Pollster1]

I remember his confirmation hearings. Liars disgust me. I imagine, from the perspective of a traitor, lying is necessary to get the power they think is their due, but that in no way excuses the lies.

[jazminerose]

When even CNN calls your legal reasoning “incoherent” . . .

[Rappini]

I was waiting for that, I believe that’s what influenced the CD.

[ExTexasRedhead]

Let’s pray 24/7 for all the enemies within to be outed and indicted ASAP.

[FreedomFtr]

“We are discovering that Malta is a strange place and a lot of negative stuff is happening there and many scandals in politics, intelligence and even the Catholic Church seem to intersect at Malta”

Hmmmm.... Looks like you have been studying the rise of the Jesuits who eventually came from...(better sit down)..the Knights Templar and just how Malta was entwined with it all. Right now I’m deep in research into why the last Pope (quit) and was replaced by a Jesuit?

[captmar-vell]

All of the Bush picks will serve the globalist agenda,

Expect nothing from Bush choice Kavanaugh either,

This is the spirit of anti-Christ rising up,

This is not a battle against flesh and blood,

They receive their power and authority because that serve that spirit whether they understand it directly themselves or not, daddy bush knew who he served,

[SkyPilot]

It shows Roberts NOT thinking as a jurist - what does the law and the Constitution say - but as a legislator - how can I make this work.

That is exactly what is going on.

Also, take the 2nd Amendment. Justice Thomas publicly stated that Roberts didn't even want to take on these cases, so he just ignores the Constitutional violations. Thomas said the 2nd Amendment is now a "disfavored right."

We don't really have a "Supreme Court" any longer. We have a super, rubber stamp legislature that is entirely political.

[SkyPilot]

All of the Bush picks will serve the globalist agenda, Expect nothing from Bush choice Kavanaugh either, This is the spirit of anti-Christ rising up, This is not a battle against flesh and blood, They receive their power and authority because that serve that spirit whether they understand it directly themselves or not, daddy bush knew who he served,

I wish you were not right, but you are.

Keep looking up.

[SkyPilot]

This is why the conversation about “universal basic income” puzzles me; I assume we have it already.

Agree with everything in your post.

If you are super rich, you pay high taxes, but there are also many ways to shelter and avoid many taxes (still though, the top % of earners pay the majority of the tax bill). If you are "poor" (and we have the richest "poor" people in the world), then you pay nothing or almost nothing.

If you are in the middle, you are squeezed like an lemon.

I think the "universal basic income", from what I have read, is now becoming a global concept for the international socialists.

[Nuc 1.1]

Chie& Justice Judas.

[vette6387]

The fact that President Trump is willing to call a spade a spade, it perhaps the most refreshing and important feature of his character. Those who say he “isn’t Presidential,” simply don’t know what they’re talking about. When I think of all the calculating mealy-mouthed men we’ve put in the Oval Office, it makes me want to puke. And better still, sometimes, when warranted, he’s willing to call it an effing shovel.

[wardamneagle]

This article just reads like a cover up. Its trying to make him sound justice-seeking, principled man of law for some reason. Not buying it.

The supreme who has FISA Court oversight............riiiiiiight.

[LaRueLaDue]

You know, the description of Roberts worried about health care business, the court’s legacy, etc. is so fraudulent and wrong-headed it is pathetic.

The court’s mandate, and primary function, is to rule on constitutionality of laws. Nothing else. Everything else is up to the legislative and executive sides of the government.

We have fallen so far from Constitutional government, I don’t think we can regain what we lost.

[kearnyirish2]

Thanks.

The alternative minimum tax is designed to ensure the wealthy pay up, and they do; when people see in the news that a COMPANY paid little or no taxes, they assume the billionaire owner didn’t either - and that’s simply untrue. They’re taxed on their incomes, their properties, their purchases - but the media doesn’t want to clarify that - the myth is more useful politically.

It is also unreported that the costs of doing business (including payrolls, emnployee benefits, etc.) reduce a company’s taxable income; instead the illusion is maintained that they are simply sending the income to the owner while he pays $0...

[OrioleFan]

Watching the TV news, all the democraps say is Merrick Garland was denied his place on the court. If Obama hadn’t engineered the death of Justice Scalia, nobody would know who Merrick Garland is. I wonder if Clapper, Comey, and Brennan were in on the murder.... (yeah, the tin foil hat is fitting pretty good tonight).

[SkyPilot]

If Obama hadn’t engineered the death of Justice Scalia, nobody would know who Merrick Garland is.

Bingo. Scalia was murdered. I am 100% positive that is true.

[SkyPilot]

The alternative minimum tax is designed to ensure the wealthy pay up, and they do; when people see in the news that a COMPANY paid little or no taxes, they assume the billionaire owner didn’t either - and that’s simply untrue. They’re taxed on their incomes, their properties, their purchases - but the media doesn’t want to clarify that - the myth is more useful politically. It is also unreported that the costs of doing business (including payrolls, emnployee benefits, etc.) reduce a company’s taxable income; instead the illusion is maintained that they are simply sending the income to the owner while he pays $0...

You are a very smart person.

[SaveFerris]

I cannot disagree.

It’s their particular “religion” too. Or how they make money. Or both.

[SaveFerris]

Careful. You might wind up on the nut-job conspiracy ping list with some of us.

LOL