After Rough Day In Court, An Optimistic View For Supporters Of ‘Obamacare’

[ProSense]

After Rough Day In Court, An Optimistic View For Supporters Of ‘Obamacare’

Brian Beutler

The snap reactions to today’s Supreme Court arguments about the constitutionality of the health care law’s individual mandate gave reform supporters a collective case of heartburn. The conservative justices seemed broadly hostile to the law’s requirement that everyone carry health insurance. President Obama’s Solicitor General, Donald Verrilli, was widely panned by experienced court watchers for stumbling at key moments. Jeffery Toobin — a seasoned vet of the high court — called it a “train wreck” for the Obama administration.

Here’s some antacid.

Over the first two days of arguments, two of the Court’s five conservative justices have expressed sympathy for key parts of the administration’s arguments. And the administration probably only needs one of their votes to fully uphold the law.

That’s the view of former acting Clinton Solicitor General Walter Dellinger, who sat down with me and a handful of other reporters after watching the arguments. Dellinger tamped down on some initial criticism’s of his successor’s performance before the court. And, crucially, he highlighted an exchange that occurred on Monday — one we broke down here — in which Chief Justice John Roberts appeared to reject the cornerstone of the challenger’s argument.

“Yesterday the Chief Justice said that it doesn’t make much sense to say that the mandate is separate from the penalty or the tax,” Dellinger said. “He seemed yesterday to have accepted the government’s argument that there’s a real choice here. If you don’t want to have health insurance that you can pay the tax penalty.”

- more -

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/03/after-rough-day-in-court-an-optimistic-view-for-supporters-of-obamacare.php

[bigdarryl]

1. It figures the media always giving the Conservative favorable view point

So now there saying Obama and his people were no prepared lets see how these rethugs on the court ask questions tomorrow on the other side

[boxman15]

2. I hope this is true.

It's always scary to have to depend on John Roberts or any Republican on the bench.

[a kennedy]

3. Yah, that same John Roberts that screwed up the POTUS being sworn in as POTUS.

Will never forget that stupid incident. Ugh.

[1StrongBlackMan]

4. Another (possible) Good Thing ...

Decisions, at the appellate level are rearely decided on the Oral Arguments; rather, the decisions are based on the briefs ... with a not so small dose of what the Justice already believed.