After the ruling from the Supreme Court came down that by a vote of 5-4, the health care law had been upheld, President Obama addressed the nation. He said, “Today’s decision was a victory for people all over this country whose lives are more secure because of this law.”
The decision is a big win for Obama and his Health Care Reform of years ago. Now his plan will go into motion as planned and the United States will finally join every single other modernized state in the world with having universal health care.
The ruling allows the individual mandate to continue on that makes it mandatory for all people to have health insurance. Despite the awareness that it is in a sense a tax, it is rightful.
But the Republicans are, wait for it, not happy.
The Republicans are already claiming that the provision is extending the powers of the federal government much too far.
While it is not inaccurate that Health Care Reform does give the government more power, the assertion that it is a bad thing is just smoke. Republicans are simply trying to paint the Democrats as hurting the American people. Apparently the fact that Mitt Romney brought health care to Massachusetts is lost upon everyone in his party.
As Health Care Reform provisions are set to be fully implemented in 2014, Republicans are continually trying to take down the plans. Republicans are trying to get rid of such evils like the parts of the reform that let children stay under their parent’s insurance until they are 26 (college costs are rising, why not force the youth of the nation to take care of their own rising health costs too?) and the part of the reform that makes it illegal to deny coverage to individuals because of their prior/pre-existing medical conditions.
Reaction of leaders
The Democrats will play this as a victory for liberalism and the realization for health care for all Americans. Republicans will play this as growing government and an unlawful tax on Americans.
Republicans are already working on rallying support from their constituents. Reports from the GOP indicate that over $3 million came in from donors in just a few hours after the ruling was announced.
Obama has stated that his goal in his first term was not to create power for the Democrats or to do what he thought was best for a second term in office, but instead to accomplish what he sees to be best for the country and the American people. The President also said that Congress needs to move forward. He said it is unproductive “to refight the political battle of two years ago or go back to the way things were.” Essentially, Obama is saying that Congress has decided on the issue and it is time now to move forward.
Election impact
Much like anything else that happens in politics, the impact of the Supreme Court ruling is going to strengthen the feelings of most of the voters and work to sway the remaining voters. Most Democrats will feel stronger about Obama and that what he is doing in not only constitutional, but right for the people. Most Republicans will feel even more slighted by Obama and even the Supreme Court and in turn will turn out even stronger to vote in Romney to try to repeal the Health Care Reform from within.
The remaining swing voters are the ones who could go either way. Studies show that most moderate or center or swing voters are truly closet partisans who typically vote for one party over the other consistently despite what they say. But there are the few voters who either don’t care enough or don’t know enough to have picked a side. The ruling of the Supreme Court might have shown those few voters that the Democrats are doing what is best for the country.
Now that the decision has been made, the two candidates can focus on November. History shows both will focus on the economy and job growth and presidential approval with each spinning the numbers in his favor. Based on the current situation in the country, things are still in favor of four more years for Obama.
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