Not a Tax until it Was
The Supreme Court has determined that the only way the individual mandate gets to be constitutional is if it’s a tax. Let’s have a little fun listening to The White House insisting that it’s not a tax – here, here, and even after the ruling, here. If they are right, they would be lawless by the court’s reasoning, not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Would it be a rude to interrupt a press conference to find out?
Healthcare Ruling
Chief Justice Roberts bestowed the burden of victory on the president by calling the individual mandate a tax.
The dissenting minority accuse Roberts of rewriting the legislation. Well, can’t say we weren’t warned of conservative judicial activism.
The Hammer thinks Roberts heroically twisted and turned through narrow legal fissures to restore the integrity of the court, in the eyes of his enemies on left. Those enemies think the court soiled itself by putting George W. Bush in office in 2001 and that it has been illigit ever since.
But even as he saved Obamacare, Roberts found the use of the commerce clause to justify the mandate to be unconstitutional. So he rewrote the bill to save the bill, calling the mandate a tax. I guess we can all agree that anyone can be bludgeoned to do anything with a tax. Mission accomplished:
The Wall Street Journal is not so easily impressed. Its editorial today notes references to Justice Ginsberg’s “dissent”. Why would she dissent if she was in the majority, unless she wasn’t until Roberts switched sides?
Study Guide for Teachers – Obamacare Ruling
The education division of Bokbluster upper management is introducing a new study guide feature. I’ve always thought of cartoons as windows on the news and history. With that in mind I’ll offer study guides from time to time to draw students into the news.
Bokbluster Study Guide 06/28/12
The Supreme Court is issuing a rasher of rulings this week. The most prominent decision upheld the individual mandate to purchase health care.
The government argued its healthcare mandate was justified under the constitution’s commerce clause. When Justice Kennedy asked if government “can create commerce in order to regulate it” it looked as if things would go badly for Obamacare.
The court determined the mandate is a tax and as such it is constitutional under congress’ taxing authority, not the commerce clause.
Now that the individual mandate has been upheld, what are the limits to government power? Should it be limited?
What is the commerce clause anyway?
What does this cartoon mean to you? (Click the cartoon to find links to stories I read that inspired me to draw it, several months before this ruling.)
In the disputed 2001 presidential election, the Supreme Court ruled George Bush the winner over Al Gore. Needless to say, this got Bush off to a bad start with a lot of people.
Later that same year the court ruled in favor of a professional golfer named Casey Martin. He was disabled and sued the PGA for permission to play on the tour while riding in a cart.
What does this cartoon mean to you? (I drew it in primitive times, so no links, sorry.)
How do you see the Supreme Court’s role in relation to the other two branches of government, the states, and you as an individual?
Express your thoughts and feelings in a cartoon. Have fun!
Egypt Arab Spring
Democracy in Egypt features checks and balances. The voters elected a Muslim Brotherhood majority parliament and a Brotherhood president. The military checked the new president by stripping his office of its powers. The judiciary balanced the parliament by dissolving it.
Executive Privilege
Here’s a Rich Lowry piece about administration loquaciousness when it comes to national security secrets that make the Preezy look good but not so much for Fast and Furious.
