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Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Law; Do You Support the Ruling?

High court finds the individual mandate in "Obamacare" is constitutional in a 5-4 decision.

The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld President Barack Obama's health care reform law in a 5-4 ruling, sending the president into the November election with a major victory under his belt.

The heart of the issue surrounds the individual mandate clause, which required Americans to buy health care coverage or face penalties.

The justices ruled that mandate fell within Congress' power to collect taxes, and is therefore constitutional.

Justices John Roberts, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan wrote the majority opinion.

From Huffington Post:

The decision in Florida v. Department of Health and Human Services comes as something of a surprise after the generally hostile reception the law received during the six hours of oral arguments held over three days in March. But by siding with the court's four Democratic appointees, Chief Justice Roberts avoided the delegitimizing taint of politics that surrounds a party-line vote while passing Obamacare's fate back to the elected branches. GOP candidates and incumbents will surely spend the rest of the 2012 campaign season running against the Supreme Court and for repeal of the law.

Since health care reform has long been a dividing issue among the population, we're curious what locals on the East End think about the ruling. Let us know in the comments and answer our poll.

frederico June 29, 2012 at 02:11 pm
Curiously the war in Irak and Afghanistan spent much more Billions then Trillions from tax payer already and there wasn't a long historical debate... Now we are talking about us, our own people to afford health care...and our future children to access to health care. It is a shame that the richest nation can't even take care of its own people health proprely. No health insurance should be for the rich, no body working hard in this nation who wasn't born in the right wallet package deserve to post pond medical exams, surgery and others... putting his life at high risk because of money!!! Private insurance are thieves and corrupt and who ever defend them should open their their eyes and stop being so clueless!!
Jaguar-Guy June 29, 2012 at 02:26 pm
My head is not popping - and you ARE a bigot racist for using such a word. You have proven yourself a foolish incensitive idiot - Bigot.
Hazel Wilkonson the First June 29, 2012 at 02:32 pm
exactly correct, high hat! This is from a cartoon which perfectly defines right-wing ideologues:
Man: I hate obamacare! Healthcare reform should be repealed? Woman: Which part? The one that ensures children aren't denied care due to a pre-existing condition? Man: No, I like that. Woman: The part that allows kids to be covered by their parents' plan until they're 26? Man: No, that's good. Woman: The part that stops insurance providers from dropping people when they get seriously sick? Man: No, that's great. It's the other part I can't stand. Woman: Which one? Man: To Obama part.
Jaguar-Guy June 29, 2012 at 02:37 pm
Ok - Uncle Tom Wilkonson and Racist Bigot small balls. Sure, great analogy.
BOB PALADIN June 29, 2012 at 02:43 pm
the idea is that business will pay their employees health care... bottom line THEY WONT.. who will pay for the millions soon to come on to the program....
if businees cant or wont pay they will shut down or continue to temp hire ... the recession depression will continue for genertaions ids that what evewrybody wants
highhatsize June 29, 2012 at 02:59 pm
to Jaguar-Guy
Dear me. Now you have questioned Hazel Wilkonson's femininity, accused me of being anti-Protestant, and assert that my testicles are undersized. Here, as in your other comments, your ignorance is stunning.
Hazel Wilkonson the First June 29, 2012 at 03:04 pm
But what about the cost of the affordable care act? Put it this way: the budget office’s estimate of the cost over the next decade of Obamacare’s “coverage provisions” — basically, the subsidies needed to make insurance affordable for all — is about only a third of the cost of the tax cuts, overwhelmingly favoring the wealthy, that Mitt Romney is proposing over the same period.
Hazel Wilkonson the First June 29, 2012 at 03:15 pm
We must thank those truly responsible for this victory:
1) the Heritage foundation for inventing the individual mandate 2) Mitt Romney for proving that it works 3) Justice Roberts for upholding the law Socialist hacks?
AJ June 29, 2012 at 03:24 pm
Here we go let the American people pay for all the illegal's. We can't afford this but in time even the idiot liberals who think this is great will feel the pinch then you hear the squealing .....when the children of today grow up they will think of this generation as the biggest bunch of idiots just give it all away they will hear stories of how America was built on hard work not easy hand outs and everyone jumping on the I need a disability check!
BOB PALADIN June 29, 2012 at 03:28 pm
this law proves that we are a welfare state how well has welfare realy worked . we created a perptual poverty class where people are tied to a check generation after generation
Preliator June 29, 2012 at 03:31 pm
1. Justice Roberts said it is in the hands of the people now.
2. Because this is a tax now it can be repealed by a simple majority vote in the Senate. Vote Romney! Vote Long! Vote Altschuler!
Preliator June 29, 2012 at 03:32 pm
More like willful slavery.
b. hardy June 29, 2012 at 03:36 pm
one more GIANT step down the rosy garden path to Socialism and the destruction of this once great and FREE country. GOD save the USA.
Mary Beth June 29, 2012 at 03:52 pm
Thank you, Mr. President . . .and Mitt, and Justice Roberts, and the Heritage foundation - all pillars of right wing conservatism who, as Hazel said, made this victory possible! America is finally doing the right thing. Next stop Single Payer and true freedom from Private Insurance Tyranny!
Mary Beth June 29, 2012 at 03:53 pm
As Governor O'Malley of Maryland said about the Republican party, “The only health care mandate they can embrace are transvaginal probes for women,”
Preliator June 29, 2012 at 03:56 pm
I would suggest an anal probe for you Mary to find your brain...because you and the rest of the leftist bigots have their collective heads up their ass.
David D'Agostino June 29, 2012 at 04:26 pm
Preliator, it is pretty disgusting that you feel it is Ok to say such a thing to a woman. You have shown yourself to be an irrational extremist beyond the capacity to be civil
Preliator June 29, 2012 at 04:40 pm
Excuse me David, have you seen some of the trash Scary Beth, Hazel and the rest of the merry bunch write or are they excused because you agree with them. I give as good as I get, political correctness is over rated and so is Obamacare.
Still having talking to anonymous people, I thought you said you would not do that anymore.
Preliator June 29, 2012 at 07:38 pm
No Highhat you are just bigots.
Katy Casey June 29, 2012 at 08:37 pm
Automobile drivers are required by law to purchase insurance, ship captains are required by the feds to have on board specific safety equipment which must be purchased,...the federal government has many mandates requiring the purchase of a service or commodity at the taxpayers own expense.
I am a little concerned (sic paranoid?) that Chief Justice Roberts may be doing the bidding of the RNC to insight voters against incumbent President Obama. Romney immediately got on the,"...don't like ObamaCare? Vote for me." bandwagon. That can't be a coincidence. The uninsured cost billions in medical expenses that eventually come from tax dollars. It is reasonable to require insurance because care providers are required to provide services regardless of whether the patient is insured. You could argue that the insured are better served, I wouldn't try to refute that. Don't want insurance? Don't come to me for care when you are injured or sick. Harsh? Sure. You can't have it both ways.
Katy Casey June 29, 2012 at 08:40 pm
Uh,...nothing?
highhatsize June 29, 2012 at 08:52 pm
to Preliator:
["meow"]
Katy Casey June 29, 2012 at 08:52 pm
Anyone who refuses to purchase insurance and balks at the fine/tax should sign a waiver of care stating they waive their right to care at any government funded health care facility if they become sick or injured. That way you are choosing to not participate in the health care system.
Jaguar-Guy June 29, 2012 at 09:35 pm
Well written and I understand all of it. However, it is a crippling series of taxes that come with it that will break the wills of the middle class. President Obama promised that this would not cost anyone making under $250k one penny, and that is an absolute falsehood. It is a complete disaster. This makes voting come November simple. You like all the changes the President has made go vote for him. If not, vote Romney.
glory days June 30, 2012 at 01:39 pm
Roberts just drove a huge nail in Obamas coffin, he just swung the independents like myself into Romney's camp, he must have known that, when he wrote his agreement
George Lynch July 3, 2012 at 03:29 pm
A friend of mine, who is much more creative than I am, has come up with a name for the Republican alternative to what they scornfully call "Obamacare." it is "WeDon'tCare." Not bad.
Katy Casey July 5, 2012 at 01:55 pm
I am pretty sure that was the GOP's plan.
Katy Casey July 5, 2012 at 01:57 pm
Interesting word choices - crippling, disaster,...hope you do not experience any if you are not insured and there is no social health care safety net.
Katy Casey July 5, 2012 at 01:57 pm
hahaha
Mary Beth July 30, 2012 at 05:44 pm
During a trip to Israel, Mitt Romney hailed the nation’s health care system for holding down costs and broadening coverage more effectively than the U.S.
The irony: Israel contains costs by adopting a very centralized, government-run health care system — anathema to Romney’s Republican Party. “Do you realize what health care spending is as a percentage of the GDP in Israel? Eight percent. You spend eight percent of GDP on health care. You’re a pretty healthy nation,” he said Monday at a breakfast fundraiser, according to the New York Times. “We spend 18 percent of our GDP on health care, 10 percentage points more. That gap, that 10 percent cost, compare that with the size of our military — our military which is 4 percent, 4 percent. Our gap with Israel is 10 points of GDP. We have to find ways — not just to provide health care to more people, but to find ways to fund and manage our health care costs.” Israel’s health care system is an instructive exercise in all that rankles American conservatives — replete with government mandates, price controls and centralized payments funded mostly by high taxes. So how’s the socialized approach working out? Seems as though Romney likes it!

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