–updated below–
A jubilant moment in the White House and for the Democratic Party. As I’ve written before, just because the bill the Democrats concocted is a bad one, the moment today was never the less historic.
From the New York Times:
In political terms, Republicans face strong crosscurrents. Polls suggest that a sizable part of the nation is unenthusiastic about the bill or opposed to it. Conservatives see it as a strike at the heart of their small-government principles, helping to explain why Republicans are optimistic that they will make gains in the midterm elections in November.
“There is no downside for Republicans,” Michael Steele, the Republican National Committee chairman, said Monday in an interview. “Only for Americans.”
But at the same time, many provisions of the bill that go into effect this year — like curbs on insurance companies denying coverage for pre-existing conditions, or the expansion of prescription drug coverage for the elderly — are broadly popular with the public. The more contentious ones, including the mandate for the uninsured to obtain coverage, do not take effect for years.
And in a week when Democrats are celebrating the passage of a historic piece of legislation, Republicans find themselves again being portrayed as the party of no, associated with being on the losing side of an often acrid debate and failing to offer a persuasive alternative agenda. [...]
…and the second the ink was dried state attorneys general from thirteen states joined into a lawsuit against Obamacare. From NBC:
The ink is still drying on the health care overhaul bill signed into law Tuesday by President Barack Obama, but attorneys general from at least 14 states have filed lawsuits to challenge the legislation.
Thirteen state attorneys general — 12 Republicans and one Democrat — signed onto one lawsuit against the U.S. departments of Health and Human Services, Treasury and Labor. The top state lawyers in Florida, South Carolina, Nebraska, Texas, Michigan, Utah, Pennsylvania, Alabama, South Dakota, Louisiana, Idaho, Washington and Colorado joined in the complaint filed immediately after the president’s signing ceremony. A separate lawsuit was also filed by Virginia’s Republican attorney general Tuesday.
The issue at the heart of the lawsuit is the constitutionality of the so-called “individual mandate,” which requires most Americans to have an insurance plan or else pay a federal penalty.
“The Constitution nowhere authorizes the United States to mandate, either directly or under threat of penalty, that all citizens and legal residents have qualifying health care coverage,” the lawsuit reads. [...]
No public option was bad enough, but mandating people into an insurance monopoly system on pain of penalty, was a close second. We’ll see what happens, but the SCOTUS is still right-leaning enough that if it gets there who knows what could happen.
The Chicago Way!
http://hotair.com/archives/2010/03/23/guess-whos-exempt-from-obamacare-mandates/
ahem… The original link is not HotAir.
It’s Hotline On Call:
http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/03/leadership_aide.php
Ha ha ha! That was too funny!
I’m confused now because I went to both links provided and got the same story.
That’s because HotAir linked to the original Hotline on Call, which is not a conservative only site.
Now if we could just get Obama to end the illegal, costly and stupid wars in Iraq and Afghanistan the guy might just turn into one of my favorite people. Peaceheros
Brad Delong:
The conservative DNA of ObamaCare is hardly a secret. “The Obama plan has a broad family resemblance to Mitt Romney’s Massachusetts plan,” Frum wrote. “It builds on ideas developed at the Heritage Foundation in the early 1990s that formed the basis for Republican counter-proposals to ClintonCare in 1993-1994.”
Historic indeed that the Democrats passed a bill that builds on ideas developed at the Heritage Foundation.
Messed up the tags, the first paragraph is from DeLong.
This part was my comment–
Historic indeed that the Democrats passed a bill that builds on ideas developed at the Heritage Foundation.
Your tags were fine, but for some reason the new WP version rejects “blockquote.” Go figure. We’re working to see if we can change it.
BRILLIANT addition to the debate, as Brad Delong usually is. Thanks.
To quote Joe: This is a big fucking deal.
It might not be all that we wanted (no ponies!) – but it is still a big deal.
The signing of a Republican bill would not be complete without a Vice President who drops F-bombs.
Imagine what kind of bill we’d have if we’d passed this bill in’93?
I know! Hilarious, WonktheVote.
See update on legal wrangling, via Pete Williams.
I like somethings to this bill and some I don’t.I hope we do not have to be put through this again. I don’t support the repeal of the healthcare bill, maybe the mandate though. I do support the states rights and to keep the federal government in check. I don’t want either party or the federal government to overstep there power. I wish the lawsuit would keep them in check and maybe the government will act better.I know that was wishful thinking. I believe this election is going to get nasty because it already is. This is going to get interesting.
Make tracks to the nearest lodge in this Columbia Sportswear alpine-inspired zip up Columbia Shoesfeatures the cozy look of a sweater outside and the comfort of soft fleece inside Columbia FEATURES No need to dodge raindropsOmni-ShieldColumbia Mens Shoes water-repellent finishColumbia Sportswear Clothing offers great protection from the elements Columbia Sportswear OutletFlattering seaming at the waist and front slant pockets Shaped fit Made of 100 polyester Heritage sweater fleece Omni-Shield advanced repellency Front slant pocketsColumbia Sportswear Parka Columbia Jackets ALPINE TRAX FULL ZIP Columbia Hiking Shoes Columbia Clothingsweaters Columbia Sportswear Jackets full zip jackets women s sweater Columbia Sportswear Titanium Columbia Sportswear Sale
Fix It
Pandora