Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Political Implications of Obamacare Being Ruled Constitutional

In my previous post, I alluded to the fact that Chief Justice Roberts might have actually given the GOP an amazing gift by using perverse logic to pass off Obamacare as a tax. There have been many pundits and politicians agreeing with this idea. Even Democratic pollster Douglas Schoen is quoted as saying:
"This means that going forward in the election campaign, it will be increasingly difficult for President Obama to defend an unpopular law at an unpopular time -- thus working to Republican challenger Mitt Romney's advantage."
On the actualy day of the ruling, Romney reported receving donations from over 45,000 different sources adding up to over 4 million dollars. Obama won't release his donation numbers for that day, but seeing as he has to beg donors aboard Air Force One to not let him become the first incumbent president outraised by his opponent, I'd say Romney is in pretty good shape. Also, Obama's campaign actually spent more money than it took in last month (but after all it is Obama, so that should be expected.)
When it comes down to it, the Health Care Bill is still wildly unpopular among Americans, including the majority of independents, which could have a huge impact on the race. Not only that, but also the ruling has reenergized the Tea Party and is sure to increase GOP voter turn out. On the other hand, Obama will be losing a lot of the youth vote and must now try and re-sell this cumbersome health care bill (which he just happens to be exempt from.)
It is very easy to smear Republicans for wanting to repal Obamacare; typical liberal responses might be "You hate the poor!", "Stop being selfish!", "How could you let insurance comapnies deny someone with a preexisting condition!?"... In order to take full advatnage of his unpopular Obamacare, Romney must quickly offer new ideas and his plan to replace Obama's overhaul of our healthcare system.

Donald Trump, who can sometimes be too honest for his own good, had this to say about Obamacare:
"Let me get this straight... We're going to be "gifted" with a health care plan we are forced to
purchase and fined if we don't, which purportedly covers at least ten million more people, without adding a single new doctor, but provides for 16,000 new IRS agents, written by a committee whose chairman says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress who didn't read it but exempted themselves from it, and signed by a Dumbo President who smokes, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, for which we'll be taxed for four years before any benefits take effect, by a government who has already bankrupted Social Security and Medicare, all to be overseen by a Surgeon General who is obese, and financed by a country that is broke!"
...Now that has to be one of the best runon sentences I think I've ever read. Even for those who despise Trump, there is just no debating any of the ridiculous hypocrisy which he speaks of.

In the end, although I wouldve prefered to see Obamacare to be struck down in it's entirety, I am very intrigued to see if the GOP can use this ruling to their advatange and take the White House.

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