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Appeals Court: Health Reform Constitutional

White House chalks up third US appeals court victory

By Matt Cantor, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 8, 2011 3:48 PM CST

(Newser) – A third federal appeals court has declared President Obama’s health law to be constitutional. The influential District of Columbia court says Congress’s powers over interstate commerce give it the means to require individuals to buy health care or face a financial penalty. “The right to be free from federal regulation is not absolute, and yields to the imperative that Congress be free to forge national solutions to national problems, no matter how local—or seemingly passive—their individual origins,” wrote Reagan appointee Laurence Silberman.

A Carter appointee joined in the 2-1 decision, opposed by a George W. Bush appointee. The Supreme Court—several of whose justices, including John Roberts, have worked at the DC court—will this week review court cases over the law as it decides whether to hear the matter, and odds are good that it will, the Wall Street Journal notes. Of four US appeals courts to hear the health case, only Atlanta’s court has ruled the law unconstitutional. The administration has appealed that ruling.

President Barack Obama smiles and waves prior to speaking today in Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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Showing 3 of 44 comments

Sterling_Archer

Nov 8, 2011 11:55 PM CST

This has just been the day from hell for the Teabaggin' Nation. What's next?! Another victim of Herman Cain stepping forwar....oh wait

brawne

Nov 8, 2011 10:31 PM CST

Oh, Jeez--I forgot the ten shots of fake cartilage in my knees--that was six grand, so with no other visits I'm up to 14 grand and wait--got a new apnea machine--another four grand so 18 thousand Blue Cross paid out for me--see why they charge me so much? And they don't pay for meds. That was 37 hundred a month--I thought it a tad excessive. Know what's really killing the economy--who's gonna give up the job that pays for health insurance when you gotta make a fortune to buy it on your own? So--who's gonna move, buy a house? No one. Personally--Obama can blow me--he was elected to cut costs. The costs of medical treatment in this country and instead he made a deal with private insurance and big pharma. I don't know who's dumber--the idiot conservative who thinks that anyone is getting anything here or the idiot liberal who thinks he did anything except get money for his campaign. Fighting each other while you both get fucked. Lovely.

brawne

Nov 8, 2011 10:18 PM CST

Thank God--my payment of 25 grand a year to Blue Cross is constitutional. You don't get it--that means that I can move and pay that to another state. Seriously--you didn't think this was about health care did you? It's about people like me being able to move from one company to another and they have to take me. Yeah--it's expensive but I'm old and got no medicare. My 1800 bucks a month wouldn't pay for shit if I actually had some illness other than self-employed and too old. Ever handicap a horse--the house would not favor me. Love the stupid people who think this changed healthcare. You know what would change healthcare--if it didn't cost three thousand bucks for a mammogram and five thousand for a colonoscopy. That's eight right there--if I break a leg--Blue Cross takes a hit. Morons.

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Appeals Court: Health Reform Constitutional

White House chalks up third US appeals court victory

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

health care • US Appeals court • health care reform • Obama administration • Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

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