Well, it's official. The US Supreme Court has upheld the Affordable Care Act individual mandate under the Taxing Clause, rather than the Commerce Clause. Analysis of the legislation and the decision will be everywhere for the foreseeable future - at least until after the Presidential election.
Of course, the haters who want to deny Obama his signature piece of legislation will argue that Obama has gone back on his promise not to tax all Americans. And they will renew their - so far - ineffectual efforts to repeal the law. The question is: how viable is that dream? Which is the bigger and more vocal group in this country - the people who will now be able to afford insurance coverage under the new rules and the exchanges, etc.? Or the people who object to any new taxes, who want to repeal the law and end the gains made in the past two years?
Roberts' opinion practically invited the legislature to overturn the legislation by saying that the decision as to whether the Affordable Care Act is wise policy belongs to the country's elected leaders. So how about that question my fellow Americans? What are you going to tell your elected leaders about your take on this momentous decision? How vocal are you going to be? The decision you make today and the steps you take with your legislators may decide not only the fate of the Affordable Care Act - but the attitudes and changes that affect the future of Medicare and Social Security as well. It's all of one piece to those who oppose social safety nets.
Think about that as you drink your morning coffee and read the pundits and the political posturing. Obama may have won a battle but the war is just heating up folks. The Koch Brothers and other conservative deep-pockets will not take this lying down.
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