The Supreme Court may have dealt the final death blow to any more challenges to Obamacare on Thursday as the nation’s highest court threw out a lawsuit that was backed by Republican-led states, determining there was no legal ground to challenge the healthcare law.
The Affordable Care Act has survived the three major challenges brought against it since its passing in 2010.
Former President Donald Trump had attempted to get the law overturned, but the Republican Congress only went so far as to get rid of the individual mandate as part of the 2017 Trump tax cuts.
BREAKING: The Supreme Court throws out a lawsuit seeking to strike down Obamacare, finding that Republican-led states and individual plaintiffs behind the case lacked legal standing to challenge the lawhttps://t.co/oBZ4Iqi9Ay
— POLITICO (@politico) June 17, 2021
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Where The Justices Came Down
The decision by the Court was split 7-2, with conservative justices siding with liberals on the Court – with the exceptions of Justice Samuel Alito and Justice Neil Gorsuch being the dissenting opinions.
Judges that were nominated by Trump, Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh, ruled in favor of the law.
Justice Stephen Breyer wrote the majority decision, saying that none of the challengers of the law could prove any legal injury due to the law.
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Breyer wrote, “Unsurprisingly, the states have not demonstrated that an unenforceable mandate will cause their residents to enroll in valuable benefits programs that they would otherwise forgo.”
President Joe Biden also weighed in on the decision in a Tweet, referring to a now famous quote of his.
A big win for the American people.
There’s no better day than today to sign up for quality, affordable health care at https://t.co/gRX1fGFEzj.
With millions of people relying on the Affordable Care Act for coverage, it remains, as ever, a BFD. And it’s here to stay. https://t.co/5GPl9aR8uB
— President Biden (@POTUS) June 17, 2021
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The Heart Of The Case
Those challenging the law argued that, because the penalty aspect of the individual mandate was removed, the entire law should be scrapped because the actual mandate to purchase insurance still remains in place, and was at the heart of the function of the law.
The Court stated that those challenging Obamacare failed to show how they had been hurt by a mandate already made ineffective.
After Texas and the other states filed suit, a group of Democrat-led states and the House of Representatives attempted to intervene in the case in an attempt to preserve Obamacare.
Supremes ruled nothing about legality of Obamacare. They ruled on standing of the case. Nobody protected it. Nobody found it constitutional. Nobody argued it appropriate.
— Don Lynch (@DrDonLynch) June 17, 2021
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GOP Reaction And Justices’ Comments
After the decision was handed down, Republicans said they would continue to fight Democrats attempting to involve the federal government even more in individual Americans’ health care.
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, put out a statement which said, “Instead of lurching toward socialized medicine, we should be working together to modernize our health care system with solutions like price transparency, lowering drug costs without government price control schemes, removing bureaucratic red tape, and spurring more private investment for breakthrough cures and treatments.”
Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a concurring opinion to Breyer’s which said, “Although this Court has erred twice before in cases involving the Affordable Care Act, it does not err today.”
Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch dissented. Alito wrote in his dissent that the individual mandate was “clearly unconstitutional,” and said of the court’s ruling preserving the law that it was an example of “judicial inventiveness.”
Alito continued, writing, “I conclude that those provisions are inextricably linked to the individual mandate and that the States have therefore demonstrated on the merits that those other provisions cannot be enforced against them.”
And in a rare display of snark, or possibly frustration, Alito appeared to comment on past rulings from the Court regarding Obamacare. He implied that the interpretation of the law might not be the driving force in some decisions.
“No one can fail to be impressed by the lengths to which this Court has been willing to go to defend the ACA against all threats. A penalty is a tax. The United States is a State. And 18 States who bear costly burdens under the ACA cannot even get a foot in the door to raise a constitutional challenge.”
Hey #StupidLiberals, it’s a HUGE difference between #SCOTUS dismissing a case for lack of standing, versus denying it for lack of merit.. Regardless of today’s ruling, #Obamacare remains #Unconstitutional
— David Higgins (@dhiggins63) June 17, 2021
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Now if only we could get single-payer health care in this country….
Another freebie for those too lazy to work, courtesy of the conservatives who do work. Justices are cowards, afraid of court packing
Had that slime John Roberts not changed his vote at the last second this sorry legislation would have never been approved in the first place! Shame on him!
Supreme court is nothing but no good democrat and RINO swamp rat traitors.
SCOTUS = Sniveling, spine impaired, fearful, lower than whale poop law hookers.
This so called healthcare law is nothing short of extortion. I can't afford Obama care unless I quit work and go on welfare. If I keep my job I can't have Heath insurance I own a small business that doesn't make enough to pay Obama extortion this guy is a stain on this country I am so embarrassed that this guy was president and Biden is just not on the planet period
Why even have a SCOTUS??
They refuse to hear ANY challenges to the CONSTITUTION (voter fraud, obomo care to name two)…… Either you don't have standing or it's a moot point!!
It's a sad day for our CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC when the LAST BARRIER to tyranny refuses to DEFEND Americans from this overreach!!
COWARDS at least; TRAITORS most likely.
To ALL Patriots, Stay Safe and watch your six!!
Joe, Proud USAF vet.
Since when did our Constitution matter to the Supreme Court? It hasnt since GW Bush appointed Roberts. totally pathetic!
This is Un Constitutional, these morons judges have betrayed the American people.
Actually there are those who believe he was murdered.
And I know who he was. He was my idol in junior high back in the good old days.
I'm happy with who I am – But maybe you should have researched your pseudonym before hand …..
Abbie Hoffman was a dope addict who died at 52 from overdosing on 150 phenobarbital pills that he washed down with a bottle of liquor.
When you compete in a battle of wits – never come unarmed…
Must really suck to be you, eh? *LOL*
But…but..you LOVED her!!!!!!
Amy Barret is a turn coat!
So what was worse? This decision or the unanimous ruling in '74 stating that Nixon had to give up the White House Tapes?
Liars, they "played" President Trump, just to get on the SCOTUS = NOBODY can be TRUSTED anymore…….NOBODY….unless they are being intimidated by no other than Roberts the one who committed a Felony by adopting 2 children from Ireland ILLEGALLY……
Absolutely no loyalty – Sad to say it was prevalent in a number of Trump's appointments.