The blockbuster decision was one of the court's most important rulings in decades. Opponents of the law had said Congress' power to regulate commerce didn't extend to people who choose not to buy something, something that the court's conservatives agreed with. Justice John Roberts did decide, however, that the law was a legitimate use of the congressional power to tax. NBC's Pete Williams reports.
The American people have won a historic victory in the U.S. Supreme Court: the Affordable Care Act is upheld as constitutional and Americans will live longer, healthier lives.
Tonight, Ed will have extensive, in-depth coverage from Washington, including his take on today’s ruling.
But first, he’ll get reaction and analysis from Howard Dean, former Democratic National Committee Chairman, former presidential candidate and the Founder of Democracy for America, and Rep. George Miller (D-CA).
The health care law wouldn't have passed without the tenacity and persistence of Nancy Pelosi. Tonight, the Democratic House Leader joins Ed for an EXCLUSIVE interview on today’s ruling.
Congressman Mike Pence compared today's health care ruling to 9/11. Really?
Karen Finney, MSNBC Political Analyst and former DNC Communications Director, will weigh in on the five stages of GOP grief.
Dozens of House Democrats walk out in protest as the House votes to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt. Ed will talk with Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) about the GOP’s latest political stunt.
House Republicans – joined by more than a dozen Democrats – voted to sanction Attorney General Eric Holder for failing to provide documents related to the failed "Fast and Furious" gun trafficking operation. The majority of House Democrats boycotted the vote, insisting that Holder was being treated unfairly. NBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports.
It's going to an EPIC @EdShow at 8pET on @msnbctv.
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this is a great VICTORY for President Obama and the american people.
President Obama-his major achievement, Health Care reform, WILL STAND per the Supreme Court.
repubs are having a cow.
ha ha ha ha ha.
(i am only laughing because the repubs have been so disrespectful to our President. i have to spike the football just a little).
We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win! We win!
Whats That - "WE-WIN!" haha !! and just listen to All of these Spoiled gop GOMERS Ranting and Throwing Tantrums -- Ha Ha Haaaahaaaaaa !!!!!! What a Bunch -O- Babies !!!!
Aw, Chris, why do you want to torment the trolls. Oh, that's right, because they torment us nightly. Carry on.
Actually the real victory goes to Romney who raised over $2 million dollars in just a few hours and will gain the support of many Democrats opposed to the government intrusion and lies from Obama that this was not a tax.
Right so sayeth a guy who was saying yesterday that Obama was going down when the SCOTUS out lawed health care. Spin little rabbit spin.
Psycho babble by Mittens little washer boy.
You have to vote for Romney to know what he stands for.
This truly is a victory for the American people and one for the history books. Ted Kennedy must be smiling in heaven as he worked till his last days on this. For his family its a testament to never give up! Obama took that torch and made it his own because he knew in his heart it was the right thing to do . There are many frivolous things in this country but truly health care should of been done decades ago.
Now the President has to get in front of the wild fire spreading over Colorado and our thoughts and prayers are with the people in Colorado.
There are many story's being told how awful socialized medicine is. Palin of course had to put her two cents in! Hes said its not perfect there's much to do. But Now they roll up there sleves and do the work no more stone walling. This is not about party but people and many will sleep better tonight.
Its a Gift
Chief Justice Roberts just gave the presidency to Romney He handed him the election on a silver platter
65% of America wants Obama care repelled and now that their taxes will go up because of the decision more will follow and now the only way to repelled Obamatax is to Elect Romney
Romney just today alone gained 2 million dollar in campaign contributes from 20,000 contributes because of this decision
Flip flop much? Yesterday you were crowing that Obama was toast because health car was going down. Gee and where does your guy Mittens stand, why you have to vote him in to find out what his plans are going to be besides throwing granny off the cliff.
The only thing you will earn is another ban.
whistle in the dark
English
Verb
to whistle in the dark
It sounds like some people thinks that no one likes the health care plan and won't contribute to Obama. I beleive those were the same ones that said the plan was going down in smoke.
yeah, we won this but look at what roberts wrote in his justification. This decision is a trojan horse. His statements about medicaid is very dangerous., Check this article. Saying that federal money is a "right" to be disbursed without conditions is gonna kill many other things that grants federal funds based on meeting criteria. They can now leave out planned parenthood. This language can be used to defund public, secular schools in favor of those that push the teabagger curriculum. That language can have a far reaching effect and applied to many programs. That interstate commerce blurb and him justifying this by saying that congress can do this as a tax is also confusing. Here is that article that lays it out:
Botox Nancy is looking a little pathetic around the face these days. Fortunately she will never again be Speaker to force another tax on American's. This is a great day for Republicans.
Delusion
Classification
A delusion is a belief held with strong conviction despite superior evidence to the contrary.[1] Unlike hallucinations, delusions are always pathological (the result of an illness or illness process).[1] As a pathology, it is distinct from a belief based on false or incomplete information, confabulation, dogma, illusion, or other effects of perception.
Delusions typically occur in the context of neurological or mental illness, although they are not tied to any particular disease and have been found to occur in the context of many pathological states (both physical and mental). However, they are of particular diagnostic importance in psychotic disorders including schizophrenia,paraphrenia, manic episodes of bipolar disorder, and psychotic depression.
The Republicans are talking about how bad N. Pelosi was looking, I thought M. McConnel was going to cry with John Boehner. What a couple of losers.
JS,
repubs HATE Nancy Pelosi BECAUSE SHE GETS STUFF DONE.
they feel threatened, emasculated (castrated) by her.
they do not like strong DEMOCRATIC women (or democrats in general).
NObama lair lair pants on fire!!!!!!!!!
NObama 2012!!!!!
You're a lair!
According to Romney's republicons, the "gov't" should not intervene in the delivery of healthcare unless it pertains VGs. Then why would they force Americans bailout the bankers on Wall Street?
For Romney, had Goldman Sachs not receive a $12 Billion bailout; his wealth would have been reduced by a mansion or two while his foriegn bank accounts are still sheltered from taxes and ATM fees.
This could be why he cares less if AZ gunshop owners sell guns to the mules of the Mexican Drug Barons.
The real funny part is so many liberals were on these blogs last weekend trying to figure out how to impeach Roberts, et al. Now it seems they want to build a monument for him...
hell no, no monument for Roberts. this does not change the fact that he voted to "annoint" W. bush president, and he voted for "citizens united".
however, i am appreciative of the fact that he found a way to find this bill constitutional (thank you, Justice Roberts) even though you all are having a cow because President Obama said it wasn't a tax. President Obama said the constitutionality of the bill lay in the commerce clause.
as clear as we might think the constitution is, and certainly as clear as the repubs think it is, like the bible, it can be interpreted differently by different people/different parties. the repubs have taken decisions made by the supreme court that are clearly unconstitutional (legislating from the bench-bush v. gore, citizens united), and they say not a word, because it benefits them.
we are pretty sick and tired of their "my way or the highway" attitude that has resulted in filibusters and obstruction, playing "politcal theatre", and not working with the President to help get jobs for the american people.
i don't understand how you all don't see it.
Suzette- I've found your re-interpretation of history to be amusing before. It continues to be.
Would you be surprised to find that you may be the only one who thinks Roberts voted to "annoint" Bush. Well- I'm probably wrong. There are most likely a good number of liberals on here who would blame him as the deciding vote in the Florida case.
I doubt I hear back from you on this issue, once you research it...
rusty,
i don't need to do research on this, as i am quite familiar with bush v. gore.
once again is it possible for you to look at the big picture and not just what is in front of you? why do repubs/baggers/conservatives do this?
bush v. gore (5-4) was strictly a POLITICAL, not a JUDICIAL decision.
the outcome of the 2000 recount "threatened" to make Al Gore president, and stopping it would assure a bush victory. this is why the 5 conservative justices invented a "one-time only ruling" to STOP the recount.
the deciding vote doesn't matter in bush v. gore, AS THEY ALL VOTED ALONG PARTY LINES AND INVENTED A ONE TIME ONLY RULING TO STOP THE RECOUNT THAT SHOULD NOT BE USED AS PRECEDENT.
this is why we were worried that another partisan vote (citizens united) would be handed down from the supreme court.
it is important that Roberts found a way to make health care law constitutional, and depart from the past partisan rulings of a very conservative court. of course i agree with justice roberts, and if repubs had been honest when talking about health care reform (instead of just slamming it), they would have said, AS MANY DEMOCRATS HAVE DONE IN THE PAST, that it could be found constitutional under the tax clause. remember, according to repubs, the individual mandate was constitutional before it was unconstitutional. do you really believe that repubs would initiate a health care reform (the individual mandate) that was unconstitutional? i know you all don't like mitt romney per say, but he found it constitutional, and he said his mass. plan was a great model for the country.
once again, in bush v. gore, i am not assigning roberts blame as the deciding vote. i am blaming the court for being PARTISAN.
And above- it was your assertion that you didn't much care for Roberts because of his vote on "annoint" Bush.
Obviously, since you are very familar with that case, you know it occured before he was named to the court. Well, you do now at least... You're welcome...
The Affordable Care Act was a rewrite of President Nixon's Comprehensive Health Insurance Program submitted in 1974. The ACA emphasizes a personal mandate rather than an employer mandate that Nixon had in his CHIP. Mitt Romney implemented the ACA in Massachusetts when he was governor. Massachusetts likes the "Romneycare" plan. 98% of Massachusetts residents have health insurance and two thirds or more really like the health insurance program. The difference is Romney was able to put his plan in effect in about a year's time. The ACA takes longer because there are many more working parts for trying to set up national reforms for 50 individual states. Democrats need to go to Massachusetts and point out that "Romneycare" is very popular amongst its citizens. The long lead time for a national plan under the Affordable Care Act over a four year period gives critics time to mobilize against it. Romney also saturated the airwaves with public service announcements. Rachel Maddow pointed all this out tonight about "Romneycare".
Essentially President Obama has pulled off a minor political miracle in a country so politically polarized and fractured. The ACA will work in getting near universal coverage once the insurance exchanges are set up in all 50 states. All states will set up exchanges because of generous federal subsidies of 100% then 90% years on after. So the risks for states are minimal. Besides, we have 50 million uninsured Americans who want health insurance. The exchanges will be a godsend for these uninsured Americans. Say what you want to about the Affordable Care Act its now been upheld and the GOP's chances of repeal are just about equal to zero because most independent voters in swing states no longer wish to re-fight the health care war of these last two years. Independent voters want to know about job creation and improving the economy. I think trying to fight the ACA is a political loser for the GOP. Independents will swing this election to President Obama. Every moment the GOP talks about repealing health care to placate an extremist base the bigger President Obama will win in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida and other Midwest states where independent voters want to hear about jobs, jobs, and more jobs.
Where are those jobs bills Speaker Boehner? The American Jobs Act didn't get passed today either because the GOP spent time finding AG Holder on bogus contempt of Congress charges that brought shame to America. I guess when you are too busy trying to frame the Attorney General with false charges to placate the NRA you just don't have time to create jobs. Too bad for you guys come November because Democrats can show independent voters who is on their side on jobs, health care, and economic issues. Keep right on placating that radical right winged base its the course right into the ditch of defeat.
Interesting- Obama and Nixon on the same page on numerous items. Elsewhere, the issue of them agreeing on the use of executive priviledge, not the two of them being of like mind on health care.
Very well put Rex in Minnesota!
Way to go Team Obama - This is a major victory for all of us No way will Romney get elected. If you read between the lines last I checked the GOP has no game plan for a health care plan As far as I am concerned the right wing GOP party is a bunch of sore losers and the more they speak the more stupid they sound - every word of of their mouths and Romney speaks for all GOP right wingers the more they speak the more they will lose. Keep talking Romney my vote goes to Obama all the way!!
Actually, Robert- as for winning in November- Obama had a better shot if the ruling had went the other way.
As it is, job growth will continue to be nil, many from the middle will veer right because of jobs (and they already had insurance). And as better vision into the economics of paying for it come into play, especially with states and medicare / medicaid (look at Illinois as an example), he will find the rowing to be upstream now.
The ACA will help at least 32 million of the 50 million uninsured Americans become insured. The ACA will drastically reduce the 45,000 uninsured deaths from treatable conditions annually. The ACA will dramatically reduce the number of bankruptcies of which we currently have one million cases clogging our courts due to expensive medical bills. More importantly the ACA will improve our national competitiveness by holding down costs overtime. We won't know a lot of these things for years because the U.S. is a huge country with big cultural and regional differences from one area to another. Seniors will no longer have the Medicare prescription donut whole.
The ACA will also help our national security in many ways. The U.S. Army in Alabama is putting up tents where massive numbers of uninsured can come in and get some basic medical care, vaccinations for kids, and dental care given to them. Alabama, like many states across the rural Deep South, have an uninsured rate of around 15% to nearly 20% uninsured. So the U.S. Army is training in rural Alabama for 3rd world disasters like hurricanes or other humanitarian crisis overseas. The problem is that the U.S. Army does not have to worry about going overseas to 3rd world countries it only needs to go to rural Alabama. Any American, who calls themselves an American ought to be ashamed and deeply concerned about our country. People in rural Alabama should receive excellent health care. All those kids in rural Alabama ought to receive first world educations and have good infrastructure to use too. The big picture could not be more clear to see for a close minded conservative.