Nice prediction.

Phvckin' activist judges.

Actually in all seriousness I, like virtually everyone regardless of political leanings feel that our healthcare system is a gargantuan mess. Having the SCOTUS rule the way they did leaves me more hopeful and less bitter. I know that being a bit more right leaning it won't garner me any favor amongst other right-minded folks but I have a great respect for the SCOTUS and will hope this ruling works out for the benefit of all of us.

I actually agree with RvsW on this one. Things ARE a mess, regardless of Obamacare. I hope that it makes people less bitter (although I'm not sure it will).

I DO think it will act as a stable base to build upon, hopefully leading to the public option. Without the public options, all this is for nothing anyway.

On another note, Sol Duc's prediction success rate continues to lag behind Madam Cleo's.

I too agree with RvW. It was heartening to see the court rule based on their interpenetration of the constitution vs. pure party politics. The system is working. I especially commend Chief Justice Roberts.

I think Obamacare is far from perfect, as is the current system. IMHO we needed a single payer system. Now we need politicians to act in good faith to fix the problems rather than just trying to score political points. Don't hold your breath on that one.

At the risk of being redundant look to the Medicaid part of the decision. It does create a bit of turmoil in that HHS can not whack a state if they do not follow the fed policy. It will get fixed as neither side can afford the mayhem of lack of continuity it creates not to mention the effect on those in the program state by state.

It also sets precedent, as one pundit said, in that it clips the wings of congress as to the ability of them to pass laws on how the federal agencies conduct business as it relates to individual states. The example used was the highway fund where the feds say you do this or loose funding. Remember the 55 speed limit and the ruckus in the Midwest during the famous gas shortage when they refused to lower the speed limit? This one is a jewel as it walks out of the health care bit and across other issues due to the fact it has the potential to restrict federal interference in a states business. It is a interesting aspect.

A paste:

The justices rejected two of the administration's three arguments in support of the insurance requirement. But the court said the mandate can be construed as a tax. "Because the Constitution permits such a tax, it is not our role to forbid it, or to pass upon its wisdom or fairness," Roberts said.

The court found problems with the law's expansion of Medicaid, but even there said the expansion could proceed as long as the federal government does not threaten to withhold states' entire Medicaid allotment if they don't take part in the law's extension.

Link to AP Mark Sherman http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/arti...f3c0617524d1252

Perhaps someone can help me out here. I really haven't spent much time looking at this, but wonder how in the end it will effect me. Right now My income is down, but typically I make around $60,000 -$65,000gross with a net of about $45,000 to $50,000. Typically I might qualify for some reductions, but for the most part my income is right at or above the crux. The only insurance available for my family ran about $1800 a month. I suspect it is now closer to $2,000. If I were to pay this, my left over income will be around $25,000 to $30000, which will make me close or below the federal proverty level. I know the best answer is to make more, but right now thats hard to do. Even if I kick my net to $65,000, I still will qualify for reduced lunches and would barely above the proverty level.

My guess is that I will end up paying a $500 penalty.

I fail to see how people expect someone like McDonalds, with a hourly rate of $9.00 to pay $1000 a month extra and think it could effect our economy.

Healthcare (and more importantly healthcare insurance) needs reform. This was the first step in reform. It was ugly, involved compromise, faced powerful entrenched interests, and resulted in incremental change.

Seems like things are working. I guess I'll take a little reform over no reform.

An Ad Hoc result may be that the Administration collects its Trophy egg, but the goose is killed.
There'll be some navel-gazing on this one.

Surprising that Chief Justice Roberts upheld on the grounds of an allowable tax.
That is scary!

Originally, I would have liked to have seen a 20 or maybe 100 page sensible bill written that most everyone could understand to address a huge problem rather than the 24-2700 page monstrosity that will cost small business. Corps have a legal staff or can afford to hire council to be certain they are compliant, but small business below the 50 person threshold do not.

Ultimately the insurance companies are the big winners from this decision. Health care will not get cheaper because "everyone" is not going to buy insurance anyway [nothing new], nor is the pool going to grow. Many people and small businesses will opt to pay the fine which is much cheaper, nor will private individuals pay annually.

We are still faced by the same problem.
Call it a first step, or, are we really back to square one.
I hope it all works out.

Just kinda throwin' shitt at the wall here.

Exactly. But now that people have to accept this as something that exists, I'm hoping we can start working towards improvement. That improvement is the public option.

And no, it won't fix everything and it won't make everyone happy. But it WILL be an improvement.

Thats how it works LWWJ. Its called chit rollin down hill. It includes all expenses on employers that must be passed along, to employees and customers. Invite some street folks in for dinner for a month and then look at your food budget and then figure out how much less fishing you will do to feed your extended family. Its no different when new regulations and taxes come down from the Messiah. Gas prices go up before its delivered and so does food. Not many suppliers are dumb enough to raise prices on a customer on the day of the delivery, with zero notice. Even the govt gives you plenty of notice so you can raise prices or cut expenses somewhere else.

Go ahead and celebrate. Its a victory in a battle, not a war.

The middle class is the one doing the shopping. Remember, you hate walmart, even though thats where the little folks shop to make ends meet.

The biggest difference is that the youngest adults dont want to pay for it. Those with degrees and a good salary will get a benefits package, but not as good as a govt employee. (at least for now) The money from healthcare premiums will come right out of the wages they would have been paid in lieu of that expense. Since more people will be paying more for people who cannot pay, its the working folks who absorb that increase in costs.

The total burden cost of an employee cannot go up without raising prices or reducing expenses somewhere else. Like it or not, the CEO is not going to work for free. Since business is not growing, new employees are not needed bad enough to endure increased expenses. The value of everything is based on the lowest employee cost, which is minimum wage. Thats what the unions use to figure their contracts and cost of living adjustments. Management looks down at those wages and has to pay more for managers, (although first level supervisors are often close to union scale) I knew car a salesmen that made more than the desk managers and F & I "managers", so he would not take a promotion. For the most part, a promotion comes with an increase in salary. Even at Ben and Jerrys. "Newmans own" is a nonprofit. Id bet money the CEO/Director, makes more than anyone else.

When you can do what the average CEO does and do it as well, then you too, can demand more money than anyone else. They get fired when they dont get it done.

No sh!t, huh?

You are SO tuned in to American industry, it's as if you've been in the corporate board room and on the plant floor at the same time.

McDonalds and 1300 other large companies and unions are exempt from the new health care plan. So there is just a little more that "we the people" get to pay for.

ya sure....

Name one dept run by the government that has competition, where the govt does a better job.

Schools
Post office
Fannie mae, Freddie mac
military hospitals

Competition weeds out waste fraud and greed.
Legal reform weeds out stupid and expensive lawsuits, loser pays. Just look at Texas for results.
Freedom to keep your health insurance carrier is no difference than moving across the country and insuring with the same auto insurance company, bank or cell phone carrier. There is universal acceptance in many union locals across a wide area. But health care is somewhat of a monopoly.

Pre-existing conditions and other features of health insurance plans, do not require 2700 pages, or several thousand new IRS employees to make sure you are audited, to make sure you are enrolled and paying.

That's what really pisses me off about this fiasco. Large Corps and Unions are big (democrap) donors so they get an exemption from that which will save all us peasants. Small business owners tend to vote Republican and will shoulder the burden.....AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I heard the waivers are only good until about 2014. ie, give us time to elect someone else.

All in all, no outrage at all that Obama said noone under 250 grand will get a tax increase.


Scotus, just ruled its a tax increase. Not a fair tax increase and not a equal under the law tax increase and may not be constitutional according to some attorneys, but there it is.
Obama lied about his tax increase.

I believe you hoid wong.