Showing posts with label King vs Burwell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label King vs Burwell. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Do they have the votes? Now?

Vast excitement on the TV news about the Obamacare court cases.  The DC circuit court held that the plain language of the Obamacare law is binding.  Even though the plain language, citizens in states without state run exchanges (most citizens) don't get government subsidy, seems wrong.  Probably is not what the Congresscritters intended.
  Later that day, another Federal circuit court held the other way.  All the TV newsies are talking about taking it to the Supremes and that will take a year.  All the talk is about resolving things in the courts.
   Little to no talk about having Congress fix it.  Congress could pass a law saying that section yadda-yadda of the Obamacare law is hereby amended to read as follows...."  Would only take a day or two.
  But, does anyone have the votes to pass something like that?  Would Narry Reid allow a vote on it? Polls show that by 55% to 45% the voters want Obamacare to go away.  They think Obamacare is causing Great Depression 2.0, jacking up medical costs, making jobs harder to get, and preventing them from going to the doctor and hospital that they have always gone to.  Clearly there is reason to worry that opening up an amendment to Obamacare might give its opponents a chance to kill it for good.
   So, right now,  the newsies (all in favor of Obamacare) are trying to steer the matter to the Supremes, where they think there is a better chance for it than in the Congress.
   Real believers in democracy, those newsies.