Obama Health Care Law

The Lunatic Right Goes Berserk After Supreme Court Health Care Decision

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The true nature of the right wing Republicans and conservative radio talk show hosts and Fox News Channel is revealing itself in the aftermath of the decision of the Supreme Court on the Obama Health Care law as being constitutional, written by Chief Justice John Roberts.

Roberts is being pilloried as a “traitor”, the Court being denounced as a “death panel”, and Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana, who once thought of running for President, said the Court decision was the equivalent of another September 11!

How reckless on the part of Mike Pence! How disgraceful a behavior by Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Congresswoman Jean Schmidt of Ohio, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, and the others on the lunatic right!

They are showing us the dangers if they were to gain total power, as Fascism would be around the corner, ready to destroy the middle class and the poor, in their support of the elite plutocracy that has become a threat since the time of Ronald Reagan onward!

We must pray every day, even if not religious, for the safety and the health of President Obama, Chief Justice Roberts, and other courageous people of different political views, who nevertheless remain in the mainstream of American politics, and want to do what is proper to promote and maintain democracy and opportunity for ALL Americans, not just the wealthy top one or two percent!

These extremists, and there are many others, reveal their true selves as they rant and rave, so go ahead, lunatic fringe, and show us what and who you are, and the American people will reject your leadership, and your talk shows in droves, as they realize that you do not give a damn about them, but only about your own selfish selves, your money and your power!

Chief Justice John Roberts Compared To Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes

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Chief Justice John Roberts has been compared to Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes by presidential historian Douglas Brinkley.

Hughes, who had been the 1916 Republican Presidential nominee against Woodrow Wilson, and fought against aspects of the Franklin D. Roosevelt New Deal in the 1930s, nevertheless backed the constitutionality of the Social Security Act in the mid 1930s.

John Roberts, who was opposed as Chief Justice by Senator Barack Obama in 2005, and who has taken a conservative stand on many issues, nevertheless backed the Obama Health Care law yesterday, siding with the progressive wing of the Court.

Hughes is regarded as one of the great Chief Justices, and after yesterday’s decision, Roberts will look much better in history, and could be Time Magazine’s MAN OF THE YEAR for 2012!

States Rights And Taxation: Chief Justice John Roberts Asserts Federal Authority And The Right To Tax

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Republicans are furious with Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who has made it clear that he believes in federal authority, as on health care and immigration, and also in the right to tax for the public good.

Expect that there will be calls for his resignation, not that he will listen!

Expect that he will get death threats, and that right wing talk show hosts and Fox News Channel will stir up animosity, as he is seen as a “traitor” to the President (George W. Bush) and the party that gave him the prestigious position as Chief Justice!

But Roberts has the potential to be a statesman in the long run if he continues to defy the party that promoted him, and does what is right to do–fight states rights, and assert the right to tax!

Salute To Ted Kennedy: There Must Be Celebration In Heaven Right Now!

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At this moment of great excitement and pride at what President Barack Obama and the Democrats have accomplished, it is appropriate to stop and pay tribute to the late Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, who fought the good fight for health care for decades, and lived long enough to see progress being made on the road to the present legislation.

While Ted Kennedy would have wished for better legislation, the Affordable Health Care Act is still a great triumph, with the possibility of improvements over time.

But there are so many aspects of this legislation that will benefit millions of Americans, and finally have America catch up with the rest of the “civilized world”, in promoting decent, available health care for all Americans over time!

The battle to keep what has been accomplished cannot be complete until the right wing Tea Party Movement and fellow Republicans who are nasty, mean spirited, and heartless beyond belief, are removed from the ability to promote chaos and anarchy, as the Republican House has been doing now for 18 months, making them the worst Congress in American history!

Some might point out that rich people have no concern about those not wealthy. That is certainly true of some, but Ted Kennedy was rich, and he CARED about those less fortunate.

Ted Kennedy and Mitt Romney both came from Massachusetts, but they are polar opposites on caring about average Americans, while both being rich!

One wonders why Mitt Romney has so little concern about average Americans, while Ted Kennedy really cared!

Could it be their political philosophy separates them, the vast difference between the “WE” attitude of Democrats and the “ME” attitude of Republicans?

In any case, there must be a celebration in heaven going on right now, with Ted Kennedy having a great time, proud of his nation, his political party, his President, and even Chief Justice John Roberts and the four Democratic appointments to the Supreme Court!

The Persecution Of Chief Justice John Roberts Begins: Threats Of 2nd Amendment “Remedies”!

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Chief Justice John Roberts was a true “profile in courage” this morning in siding with the four Democratic appointees on the Supreme Court, and upholding the Obama Health Care law.

Roberts, despite his other shortcomings in the minds of progressives, including reaffirming the Citizens United case in another case involving Montana this week, has shown open mindedness on the immigration issue, and now on the health care issue.

He is concerned about the image of the Supreme Court, trying to avoid making it an overly partisan body, as it was in the Bush V. Gore case of 2000, which seriously damaged the image of the Supreme Court.

Roberts has a sense of history, and two Harvard Law School professors, Laurence Tribe and Walter Dellinger, correctly came to the conclusion that he would do what he did today.

Roberts, appointed by George W. Bush in 2005, has shown growth and great insight, and if he continued along the road he showed this week on immigration and health care, he could rank among the great Chief Justices by the time he retires in the next 20 years or so, considering he was appointed to the Court at age 50.

It would be great if long term, we could say Roberts ranks with John Jay, John Marshall, Charles Evans Hughes, and Earl Warren. He has begun the first steps along that road!

But he will have to bear severe criticism and bitter attacks from Republicans in Congress, and hateful right wing talk show hosts. He should be proud of defying them, and doing the right thing, and being insulated on the Court, he can suffer the attacks without having to comment on them.

But it is sad and scary that some right wing nuts talk about a Second Amendment “remedy”, implying bloodshed and violence against, maybe, President Obama, or Chief Justice Roberts, or really anyone who believes that all Americans are entitled to good health care!

The government needs to step up infiltration of right wing groups who are actively plotting to bring about a Fascist takeover, and are ready and willing, through militia groups, to plot the death of our leaders for having principles and morals and strong beliefs!

Right now, we can pray for the safety and good health of President Obama, Chief Justice John Roberts, and all good people who believe in humanity, social justice, and common decency!

FANTASTIC VICTORY FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, PROGRESSIVES, AND BARACK OBAMA!

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America can celebrate June 28, 2012 as one of the greatest days in the history of American reform, joining with the victories for Social Security under Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935, and Medicare under Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965!

Barack Obama will go down as easily the greatest President, at least in domestic affairs, since LBJ!

America is finally coming into the 21st century on health care, and the decision of the Supreme Court is the most important decision of the Court in the past decade, and will reverberate throughout American history, and insure the victory of Barack Obama to a second term as President in November!

Social justice and humanity won out in this decision, and it advances American values of fairness, equity, and decency, and becomes institutionalized as part of the “American Dream”, which can be restored by a sound defeat of the Republicans and Tea Party right wing radicals in Congress this November!

But even if the opposition triumphs through their spending of inordinate amounts of money, and trying to suppress the vote, and wins control of both houses of Congress, Barack Obama will be there to stop their negativism and retreat with his veto!

So this is a day to celebrate, the most important day of this year, except for the Presidential Election Day on November 6!

Walter Dellinger And Laurence Tribe, Esteemed Law Professors At Harvard, Predict John Roberts Support For Health Care Law Tomorrow In Supreme Court!

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Two leading law professors at Harvard have predicted that Chief Justice John Roberts will lead a 6-3 decision in support of the Obama Health Care program tomorrow in the Supreme Court.

Walter Dellinger, former Solicitor General, and Laurence Tribe, who actually taught Roberts at Harvard, both predicted that result.

This author, certainly no expert on law as these two esteemed gentlemen, ventures the guess and hope in the same result tomorrow!

Hopefully, the author will be in the camp of two distinguished professors on the winning side, but we shall see, and learn the result, at about 10AM tomorrow!

House Republicans And Attorney General Eric Holder: A Travesty of Justice And A “Lynching” Of Our First African American Attorney General!

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It is shocking beyond belief that our first African American Attorney General Eric Holder, under our first African American President of the United States, Barack Obama, is facing a contempt of Congress vote on Thursday, the same day the Supreme Court issues its judgment of Obama Health Care legislation!

What has Eric Holder done wrong? He has refused to release internal documents regarding the failed, so called, “Fast and Furious” Mexican Drug Running setup begun by the Bush Administration, which sadly ended in the death of a border agent. Holder had held numerous meetings with the committee headed by California Republican Congressman Darrell Issa, and given documents, and Issa well knows that nothing corrupt has occurred, but is still on a rampage to destroy Holder’s reputation!

Holder, by withholding some sensitive documents, is doing nothing different than any Attorney General in the past, and many Attorneys General, including those under Warren G. Harding, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, have been involved in controversial activities, that never led to a move to cite for contempt of Congress.

Rather than deal with the jobs issue, the Republican House under Speaker John Boehner is running amuck, making for the most disgraceful Congress in many decades, and helping to cause the lowest public opinion rating for Congress in history, since polls began!

Even if Holder is cited for contempt of Congress, that will simply make him a victim of his race, and the prejudice against Barack Obama.

Holder has been an excellent Attorney General, fighting against the discriminatory immigration laws of Arizona and Alabama; battling against the attempt in Florida and elsewhere to cut people from the voting rolls; and taking other stands that conservatives and Republicans hate!

If Speaker John Boehner has any sense, he will work to prevent such a contempt citation, and push Darrell Issa to stop his bullying, but sadly it is unlikely to happen, but will reverberate on the Republicans in November!

The John Roberts Legacy Hanging On Tenterhooks As Health Care Decision Nears!

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Chief Justice John Roberts is reported to be writing the majority opinion for Thursday’s Health Care decision on “ObamaCare”.

Coming on top of his siding with Anthony Kennedy and three liberals on the Court on the immigration case, many observers sense that he and Kennedy will again be in the majority with the four liberals on the Court, and decide in favor of “ObamaCare”.

If Roberts does so, it will transform him immediately into one of the giants of the 17 Chief Justices of the Supreme Court historically.

If he does not do so, he is doomed to a negative role in judicial history, and will be seen by many observers as a failure as a Chief Justice.

The choice is that stark, as this case is the most important since Bush V. Gore, and follows the disastrous Citizens United Case, tragically upheld again yesterday in a Montana case on straight party line and ideology.

Roberts’ reputation is already in trouble, but could be resurrected by an open minded attitude toward health care as covered under the interstate commerce clause.

Roberts, it is said, worries about his and the Court’s reputation, and even if he serves another 20 years, he will never outlive the disappointment and turmoil that will occur if the Court rejects “ObamaCare”.

Since he seems to be a strong believer in federal power, as shown yesterday in the immigration case and the juvenile murderer case, we expect him to come down on the right of the federal government to regulate health care, and require a mandate, a demand that all citizens have health care coverage, if they wish to gain health care when needed, rather than sponging off those of us who have paid for health care.

The actual mandate would be the equivalent of about $15 a week, equivalent of one person having one meal per week at a restaurant, or half a tank of gasoline. Is this too much to ask of all citizens? The answer is NO!

Chief Justice Roberts: We are watching you!

Justice Anthony Kennedy Still The Key Vote On Supreme Court: 2 Positives, 1 Negative!

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Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy is still the key vote on the Supreme Court, and today batted 2 for 3!

He was part of the majority on the Arizona immigration law, with three out of four of the provisions of that law overturned, but still allowing police officers to check the status of people they stop for any violations.

He was also on the majority side on a case that gave juvenile murderers the possibility of parole from a life sentence.

He was on the wrong side of a Montana case designed to reverse the Citizens United case, a tragic development!

But two out of three is quite good, and there is still hope that he may be in the majority, maybe along with Chief Justice John Roberts, on the Obama Health Care law, when the Supreme Court announces its decision on Thursday, June 28.

The fact that Chief Justice Roberts joined Kennedy in the majority in the immigration case, with Justice Elena Kagan recusing herself because she had been Solicitor General during the time of the passage of the Arizona law, was encouraging to make people believe he might join Kennedy in the majority on the health care legislation. We shall see in three days!

So far, quite good!