Obamacare and the Supreme Court

[Pelado]

The timing of Obama's comment is what gets me. Why piss off the judicial branch before they make the decision? Unless Obama believes the law will be overturned no matter what and so his commit is an attempt to save some face by shifting the blame of the failure of the law to the "evil" judicial branch and the current set of judges. In any case it was a very dumb comment by someone that supposedly has the expertise to know better. Of course, this is not the first piece of bullcrap that seems to continuously flow out of this man's month so at least he is being somewhat consistent. I guess he has that going for him.

I think I read that the Justices met last weekend to decide the case, even though the actual opinion wouldn't be out until June. If so, the case would have already been decided by the time Obama derided the court on Monday.

[All-American]

I think I read that the Justices met last weekend to decide the case, even though the actual opinion wouldn't be out until June. If so, the case would have already been decided by the time Obama derided the court on Monday.

Maybe, maybe not. The Friday conference vote is informal and non-binding. Justice Kennedy, in particular, has said that he sometimes changes his vote after the conference when convinced otherwise during the writing of the opinion.

[Goatnapper'96]

Maybe I'm the exception, but personally, this whole incident (from Obama's statement down to and including Holder's response) has diminished my respect for Obama considerably. I voted for him in 2008 and I've always thought he was sincere, if occasionally a little misguided and overzealous. But this thumbing his nose at the judicial branch really bothers me.

I agree with this. I didn't vote for him but this event causes me to lose respect for him. If the government loses the Supreme Court case he will take a sizeable political hit. I really think that many independents are wary of Rightwing pundits painting all lefties as statists who want to take away your rights, but a SCOTUS ruling agreeing with them will result in many independents giving more clout to other attacks righties make on Obama. I don't understand his attempts to politicize the Supreme Court, I think the average voter has more faith in the Supreme Court to be above the fray than it does the POTUS. His best argument is to propose why the law is constitutional rather than just saying it is because it was passed by an elected Congress but nobody is doing that - all efforts on the left seem to be to politicize the issue.

[LA Ute]

I agree with this. I didn't vote for him but this event causes me to lose respect for him. If the government loses the Supreme Court case he will take a sizeable political hit. I really think that many independents are wary of Rightwing pundits painting all lefties as statists who want to take away your rights, but a SCOTUS ruling agreeing with them will result in many independents giving more clout to other attacks righties make on Obama. I don't understand his attempts to politicize the Supreme Court, I think the average voter has more faith in the Supreme Court to be above the fray than it does the POTUS. His best argument is to propose why the law is constitutional rather than just saying it is because it was passed by an elected Congress but nobody is doing that - all efforts on the left seem to be to politicize the issue.

[Goatnapper'96]

As I said, while I disagreed with his ideology I usually felt he was genuine. If the SCOTUS rules against the government, the manner in which Obama is playing the event will give those who would depict him as otherwise a big victory as the campaign is really starting to heat up. I view this case as having the potential to hurt Obama more than it will help.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

As I said, while I disagreed with his ideology I usually felt he was genuine. If the SCOTUS rules against the government, the manner in which Obama is playing the event will give those who would depict him as otherwise a big victory as the campaign is really starting to heat up. I view this case as having the potential to hurt Obama more than it will help.

I do think Obama compounded the problem on Monday. Mostly, I think it will speak to his and the Democrats' competence if the SC overturns the legislation. He spent all this time and political capital shoving this down everyone's throats and it has required businesses across the country to prepare for the upcoming changes thus requiring them to probably spend billions in the process -- and then it's ruled unconstitutional? I think it would be devastating.

[LA Ute]

As I said, while I disagreed with his ideology I usually felt he was genuine. If the SCOTUS rules against the government, the manner in which Obama is playing the event will give those who would depict him as otherwise a big victory as the campaign is really starting to heat up. I view this case as having the potential to hurt Obama more than it will help.

My rather bluntly-attempted point was that in Chicago, trying to intimidate the judiciary is pretty standard procedure. You're right, if independent voters see him as trying to bully the SCOTUS, it'll hurt him.

Now that I think about it, the way Obamacare was rammed through was also highly partisan power politics. Maybe all that is now coming back to haunt him.

[Goatnapper'96]

I do think Obama compounded the problem on Monday. Mostly, I think it will speak to his and the Democrats' competence if the SC overturns the legislation. He spent all this time and political capital shoving this down everyone's throats and it has required businesses across the country to prepare for the upcoming changes thus requiring them to probably spend billions in the process -- and then it's ruled unconstitutional? I think it would be devastating.

And the sounclips he provided that can be used to display either misunderstanding or disregard for judicial oversight was just dumb. It will dominate the news and lead right up to the Republican Convention. I think he is likely to lose if the SCOTUS goes against him and he helped self-inflict the wounds.

[snowcat]

Obama: "Ultimately, I am confident that the Supreme Court will not take what would be an unprecedented, extraordinary step of overturning a law that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically elected Congress."

Sounds familiar...

"They're [SCOTUS] not even [within] 100 miles [of the constitution] They are not in any place. They hold no place in [the constitution]. This is an illusion ... they are trying to sell to the others an illusion."

[LA Ute]

Mark Steyn:

All that’s unprecedented here is the spectacle of the president of the United States, while the judges are deliberating, idly swinging his tire iron and saying, “Nice little Supreme Court you got here. Shame if anything were to happen to it.”

[All-American]

Sheesh, some of these news networks can't help themselves. CNN in particular really wants this act to stand.

[LA Ute]

Sitting at my desk awaiting the decision. My firm is doing a national conference call with all three of our offices participating, with invitations to all our clietns and other contacts to call in with questions about what the decision means. I'm on the "Q&A team" and am trying to be ready to have something intelligent to say.

[All-American]

Top of the hour. Here we go.

[Moliere]

Sitting at my desk awaiting the decision. My firm is doing a national conference call with all three of our offices participating, with invitations to all our clietns and other contacts to call in with questions about what the decision means. I'm on the "Q&A team" and am trying to be ready to have something intelligent to say.

Thanks for the invite

[LA Ute]

Thanks for the invite

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