By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
The Supreme Court upheld most of President Obama’s landmark legislation, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). Politicians and elected officials have both rushed to release statements about what has been billed as the biggest Supreme Court decision in forty years.
Congressman Jo Bonner (R) from Mobile said, “While I am deeply disappointed over the Supreme Court’s failure to strike down the heart of Obamacare by allowing the individual mandate to stand as a giant new tax, I have always believed that the controversial law could only be stopped by Congress and a new president. This is a sad day for individual freedom, but it is a big day for bigger government and higher taxes.”
Alabama Lieutenant Governor Kay Ivey said, “The Supreme Court’s ruling today, upholding major portions of Obamacare, perpetuates the illusion that taxpayers can and should provide healthcare for every citizen, in spite of the fact that the country is broke!” Ivey said that adding new entitlements threatens to “bring America down.” “America will spend and tax itself into weakness and, God forbid, collapse. The President’s trillion dollar takeover of the American healthcare system is wrong for the federal budget, is in opposition of our constitutional principles and wrong for Alabama.”
Congressman Mike Roger (R) from Anniston said, “I am deeply disappointed with the Supreme Court’s ruling today on the healthcare law. In a time where our national debt is growing and our economy is struggling to add jobs, President Obama’s healthcare law is currently estimated by CBO to cost almost double what the President promised. I believe this law threatens American jobs by imposing steep taxes and mandates on small businesses, and am deeply concerned the ruling gives Washington even greater power to intrude on personal freedoms. Congress must work to repeal it and find solutions that provide better, more fiscally sound healthcare options for our nation.”
The National Chairman of the College Republican National Committee Alex Schriver from Alabama said, “The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the individual mandate as constitutional under the basis that it is a tax delivers a debilitating blow to the Obama Administration.”…..”Considering that the latest polling data shows the majority of Americans (54 percent) oppose Obamacare, imagine what that margin will grow to knowing the backbone of the policy was nothing more than a new tax on consumers? Since its passage, insurance premiums are up 9 percent. The policy itself will cost an estimated $500 billion – and that is among the most modest estimates.”
Alabama Senate President Del Marsh (R) from Anniston said, “Today’s Supreme Court ruling confirms that Obamacare is in fact one of the biggest tax increases in our nation’s history. While the federal government increases bureaucracy and red tape that cripples small business, Alabama Republicans will continue fighting this intrusion by working to make state government more efficient and boost private-sector economic growth/”
Lt. Gov. Ivey said, “This continues to be a state and national emergency with major tax implications. Citizens, we must be vigilant, active and passionate about our deep concern over this unfunded, non-sustainable mandate from those in Washington who would tax us into oblivion. We must begin the process to repeal and replace Obamacare.”
“Absent a Supreme Court ruling to directly strike down or dismantle Obamacare, the House of Representatives is pursuing a full repeal of the unpopular new health care law which has already driven up health care premiums, forced religious institutions to violate their beliefs and will likely add $1.7 trillion to the federal debt over ten years according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Rep. Bonner said, “I voted against the passage of President Obama’s health care law in 2009 and 2010 and I have joined the House in voting more than two dozen times since January 2011 to both fully repeal and dismantle the costly and unpopular health care law. Obamacare remains widely unpopular with the American people who want health care reform without losing their choice of doctors, quality of coverage or facing higher premiums. I support House efforts to fully repeal the president’s health care law and instead pass market-based reforms that help to lower health care costs while extending coverage to those with preexisting conditions.”
Chairman Schriver said, “Mark my words; financial and grassroots support will be pouring into Gov. Mitt Romney’s campaign in the coming weeks because of this decision. Since the Supreme Court upheld President Obama’s invasive new tax, the decision to overturn this policy is now in the hands of the American people this November.”
