Federal Judge Strikes Down Obamacare as Unconstitutional
A Texas judge ruled on Friday that the individual coverage mandate of the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional and, therefore, the rest of the law can no longer stand, NBC News reported.
U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Fort Worth made his decision in a case brought by a group of right-leaning states led by Texas.
In his ruling, O’Connor clearly laid out why he believes that Obamacare “continues to be unsustainable.”
“The Court today finds the Individual Mandate is no longer fairly readable as an exercise of Congress’s Tax Power and continues to be unsustainable under Congress’s Interstate Commerce Power. The Court therefore finds the Individual Mandate, unmoored from a tax, is unconstitutional and GRANTS Plaintiffs’ claim for declaratory relief as to Count I of the Amended Complaint,” O’Connor wrote.
Although the decision is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court, should O’Connor’s ruling stand, there will no longer be a penalty for those who don’t buy insurance, NBC reported.
President Donald Trump, who has been a vocal critic of his predecessor’s namesake health insurance project, posted on Twitter after the news of the ruling broke.
“Wow, but not surprisingly, ObamaCare was just ruled UNCONSTITUTIONAL by a highly respected judge in Texas,” Trump tweeted. “Great news for America!”
Wow, but not surprisingly, ObamaCare was just ruled UNCONSTITUTIONAL by a highly respected judge in Texas. Great news for America!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2018
In an earlier tweet, the president urged congressional leaders to find a way to pass “GREAT health care” during their next term.
“As I predicted all along, Obamacare has been struck down as an UNCONSTITUTIONAL disaster!” the president tweeted.
As I predicted all along, Obamacare has been struck down as an UNCONSTITUTIONAL disaster! Now Congress must pass a STRONG law that provides GREAT healthcare and protects pre-existing conditions. Mitch and Nancy, get it done!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2018
“Now Congress must pass a STRONG law that provides GREAT healthcare and protects pre-existing conditions. Mitch and Nancy, get it done!”
While the president called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and current House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to come up with a good option for health care, both of these individuals are not as delighted to have to deal with this issue as the president has been.
Pelosi tweeted her response after the news broke, “Tonight’s absurd ruling exposes the monstrous endgame of the GOP’s all-out assault on people w/ pre-existing conditions & the ACA.
“When @HouseDemocrats take the gavel, the House will swiftly intervene in the appeals process to #ProtectOurCare!”
Tonight’s absurd ruling exposes the monstrous endgame of the GOP’s all-out assault on people w/ pre-existing conditions & the ACA. When @HouseDemocrats take the gavel, the House will swiftly intervene in the appeals process to #ProtectOurCare!
— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) December 15, 2018
O’Connor’s ruling came just hours before the Dec. 15 deadline for Americans to obtain health insurance. Although the law has been ruled unconstitutional, it likely won’t have any immediate short-term effects.
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