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.

[SaveFerris]

30 pieces of silver probably fit very nicely in that bag before he deposited them in Malta.

Oh, there I go all tinfoil again....

[SaveFerris]

[Strange place for a Chief Justice to go immediately after a very strange vote on ACA]

Why, he was giving a lecture there. Right after the vote.

That’s the ticket. My wife is ...... Morgan Fairchild.

Yeah, that’s the ticket.

[SaveFerris]

And there’s the problem.

1/2 the country too stupid to figure out why the Senate and the SC made darned sure that “Obamacare” did NOT apply to THEM.

Try explaining this to an Obamacare cheerleader and they are just too plain stupid to figure it out.

Duh. It couldn’t be more obvious.

[OrioleFan]

I’d consider it a privilege to be a member.

[Fury]

Re: 29 - ANY evidence at all other than a picture? Anything?

I thought so.

Pathetic.

[SaveFerris]

[I’d consider it a privilege to be a member.]

Sounds awesome. We’ve got plenty of tinfoil.

But, you must pass this very complicated test. :)

1) Ping Nully.
2) In your ping, you threaten to report him to the mods.
3) Profit! (congrats you just qualified for the ping list)

[nutmeg]

.

[null and void]

1) Ping or FReepmail Nully.
2) In your ping message, you threaten to report him to the mods if he doesn't add you to the list.
3) Profit! (congrats you just qualified for the ping list)

Think of it as a rite of passage...

[SaveFerris]

Ye must be reported to the mods publicly I say!!

LOL

[null and void]

At no point in history has any government ever wanted its people to be defenseless for any good reason ~ nully's son

The biggest killer of mankind

Nut-job Conspiracy Theory Ping!

To get onto The Nut-job Conspiracy Theory Ping List you must threaten to report me to the Mods if I don't add you to the list...

Nay, I say.

The rulz are:

To get onto The Nut-job Conspiracy Theory Ping List you must threaten to report me to the Mods if I don't add you to the list...

Nothing about it needing to be public or private, although public provides enjoyment for all, especially if the threat is particularly colorful or creative. Creative threats earn extra points, but alas, there is no way to redeem points anywhere, for anything...

[rawcatslyentist]

I never bought the ***damned insurance, and I never will.

Fugitive from medical justice!

Old Ike failed to foresee the industrial medical govt alliance.

[SkyPilot]

No, I don't have any hard evidence.

I said I believed there must be something else to have blackmailed him besides the "Obama will take my adorable little blonde Irish children away from me" rumor. If Obama and his thugs tried that, Roberts could have exposed them all before the US public, ran for emperor, and would have won.

There are just rumors. I used to live and work in DC. A friend who has lived there for almost 50 years told me that back in the 80s, at the law firm Roberts worked, his associates thought he was gay and he had a male roommate. It could have been a cost savings venture.

I do believe, however, that Roberts dissented in the horrible gay marriage ruling.

[drdirt333]

Immdiately after the Obamacare decision came out, Scalia spoke someplace, and was livid at what Roberts had pulled off.
Scalia respected the court decorum rules and was unable to speak what he so desperately wanted to say.
My understanding was/is the court huddles immediately after oral arguments for each case. In their conference room. No clerks, just the 9 at the table. At that time their clerks have researched the issues, discussed with each respective justice, and the case is fresh in their minds.
A vote is taken. As chief justice, Roberts then assigns a justice to write the majority opinion. Others are free to write opinions or not.
My understanding is that Roberts vote was for Obamacare to be struck down. As expected.
The day before the Obamacare decision was announced Roberts changed his vote, and came up with the ‘tax’ argument.
Scalia was shocked. Livid. And I’m sure wanted the truth to be disclosed.
I’m of the opinion that was a catalysr for his ultimate fate.

[chris37]

Better believe it.

If they are going to make me into an outlaw, then I am going to be an outlaw.

The Ruling Class can GFI.

[Nifster]

Where was the constitution in any of tjis?

[Carriage Hill]

His illegal adoption of the two Irish kids, no doubt, played a part in his blackmail of rewriting ObummerCare, and f•cking all Americans.

[wardaddy]

My story as well.

From 475/month to almost 1500 and rising.

It’s now a home mortgage and I’m self employed.

[SaveFerris]

Is that Elizabeth Warren in the lower pic?

[null and void]

Her mom.

[SaveFerris]

Makes sense. I hope that test pattern is 1/1024th precise.