VA Healthcare Challenge Can Proceed

Reuters:
A U.S. judge ruled on Monday that the state of Virginia could proceed with its challenge to President Barack Obama's landmark healthcare law, a setback that will force the White House to defend its reforms in the middle of a tough congressional election campaign.

In the opening salvo of the legal fight, U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson refused to dismiss the state's lawsuit, which argued the requirement that its residents must have health insurance is unconstitutional and conflicts with state law.

Hudson, who noted that his ruling was only an initial step, decided the issue the state raised -- whether forcing residents to buy something, namely healthcare, is constitutional -- had not been fully tested in court and was ripe for review.
Suffice it to say that I am not a kneejerk defender of the administration's insurance mandate, but this lawsuit is complete crap. As Steve Benen notes, "Folks who never seemed especially troubled by mandatory auto insurance or mandatory flood insurance in some parts of the country have now concluded that a health care mandate is the most offensive idea they've ever heard. It's the basis of GOP litigation, and ballot measures at the state level touted by right-wing activists."

I don't like the healthcare insurance mandate, either—but that's because I support socialized healthcare, not because I'm a hypocritical shit like the government-employed Republicans who happily accept the taxpayer-funded health coverage that comes with their jobs while running their mouths off about bootstraps and rugged individualism.

Shakesville is run as a safe space. First-time commenters: Please read Shakesville's Commenting Policy and Feminism 101 Section before commenting. We also do lots of in-thread moderation, so we ask that everyone read the entirety of any thread before commenting, to ensure compliance with any in-thread moderation. Thank you.

blog comments powered by Disqus