Tuesday Open Thread [3.27.12]
We are in a polling drop off. The Republican Primary is ongoing, but with Romney the presumptive nominee, not many polling outfits are spending the money on the remaining primaries. The big remaining primary contests, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, will get polled as the dates of those primaries gets closer.
REPUBLICAN PRIMARY — PRESIDENT
NATIONAL (Gallup Tracking): Romney 39, Santorum 27, Gingrich 14, Paul 9
CALIFORNIA (USC/L.A. Times): Romney 42, Santorum 23, Gingrich 12, Paul 10
GENERAL ELECTION — PRESIDENT
NATIONAL (Rasmussen Tracking): Obama d. Romney (46-43); Obama d. Paul (44-39); Obama d. Santorum (49-41); Obama d. Gingrich (50-38)
NATIONAL (Suffolk University): Obama d. Romney (47-37-7); Obama d. Santorum (49-35-7); Obama d. Gingrich (50-31-11); Obama d. Paul (49-28-12)
CALIFORNIA (USC/L.A. Times): Obama d. Romney (57-36); Obama d. Paul (59-31); Obama d. Santorum (61-32); Obama d. Gingrich (62-30)
Yesterday’s oral arguments were simply the opening act in the Supreme Court’s consideration of President Obama’s signature health-care law. But today’s discussion — over whether or not the individual mandate to purchase health insurance is constitutional — is the main event. And there’s plenty of irony (and even hypocrisy) on this issue. After all, it was then-candidate Barack Obama who railed against the individual mandate, which was supported by Hillary Clinton. What’s more, the individual mandate was once a conservative-leaning idea (championed by the Heritage Foundation, Newt Gingrich and, yes, Mitt Romney).
The final bit of irony: Only a small percentage of the public would even be subject to the individual mandate, if it’s found to be constitutional. A new Urban Institute study finds, per Huffington Post, that 98% of Americans ‘would either be exempt from the mandate — because of employer coverage, public health insurance or low income — or given subsidies to comply.’ So there you have it, folks: The central issue before the Supreme Court was once opposed by Obama, supported by conservatives and Republicans, and won’t even affect most Americans.
It will be interesting to see how Team Obama plays having the individual mandate struck down.
Also, FWIW – Ron Paul is winning the yard sign war in Delaware.
Yard signs! When I left on Sunday night there were no yard signs for Presidential candidates to be seen anyplace I was in Wilmington.
There are a number of hand-made Ron Paul signs on Route 1 south of Milford.
TPM is following the SCOTUS ACA mandate hearings.
Here’s the thing… the mandate might be in trouble, but the ACA won’t be repealed, mainly because many people are reaping the rewards. No one will accept going back to not covering people with preexisting conditions, or dropping people when they get sick, or having to kick their under 26 year old children off their health insurance. This has the feel of closing the barn door after the cows have gotten out.
If the mandate falls I’d expect the Dems to do what they should have done from the get-go – Flippin’ promote what’s in the ACA. (I’m forever an optimist.)
I’m not a fan of the individual mandate. I’m not sure which side to root for now. I’d love to see it struck down but I fear the fallout.
@puck “I’m not a fan of the individual mandate.”
The mandate is something that conservatives originally proposed. Without the mandate, anyone can go without insurance and basically put themselves on welfare in any emergency room. Everyone pays for their medical bills, except them. Conservatives hated welfare so much, the mandate was proposed.
But now the conservatives are fighting the mandate. What’s the thinking? Back to medical welfare on demand? Too many people are willing to take a free ride.
It will be interesting if the mandate is struck down and the rest of the bill survives. The healthcare providers will lobby hard, very hard…. Something will have to give in a compromise, but what will the Dems give up? Go back to pre-existing conditions? Return the ability to cancel insurance on sick patients? More medical bankruptcies? What???
It is an election year. Maybe the fallout falls on someone else for a change.
I wasn’t a fan of the individual mandate – I understood it, but wasn’t a fan. That said, notice how Republicans have long dropped their “repeal and replace” mantra. They’ve got nothing, and the barn door has been opened.
Here’s a happy thought for you… Mitt Romney has to be crying. The last thing he wants is the ACA being debated.
Question: If the SCOTUS decides that the mandate is unconstitutional will that effect Massachusetts?
A most amusing outcome would be that the mandate would only be acceptable as a public option…. as a straight tax. This would lower health care costs across the board to the great benefit of the masses.
And this is exactly why the administration needed to fight harder for the public option back in 2010….
Question: If the SCOTUS decides that the mandate is unconstitutional will that effect Massachusetts?
No. The issue is the federal involvement. States can do what they like — as in, for example, regulating insurance and mandating certain kinds of coverage in individual states. This is why the conservatives keep suggesting letting insurance be sold out of one state and into another; we resist because that’s nothing but a race to the bottom.
“And this is exactly why the administration needed to fight harder for the public option back in 2010″…. or at all. Even knowing Dinos like Carper would have killed it anyway, it would have given an excellent “tolda ya so, nutsack” for Obama
BTW, in this case, “nutsack” is means as a derogatory term meant to imply fragile, sensitive, smelly, and ugly.
The entire Democratic platform is structured around making everyone equally poor, and the health care bill is an integral part of that strategy.
yup. that’s it. That is why more people became poor under Reagan than any president since Hoover. Those bastard democrats.
dont worry little one, the facts will reach even your tiny little talking point filled head someday. I’ll pray for you. 🙂
‘Boo hoo…the 80’s were just awful!’
Come one, even you libturds of a certain age must of had fun –and the cash to do it– in the 1980’s.
If the income growth of the top 2% vs. everyone else isn’t fast enough now, I wonder how fast it would have to grow to satisfy the stupid workaday $30k per year Republicans?
It never ceases to amaze me what a bunch of brainless dupes and losers the middle class Republicans are. They can’t get enough of protecting the financial interests Paris Hilton.
Hey. Did you respond to that previous question yet? Is trolling that racism thread over?
Read and find out…you seem to have plenty of time on your hands.
Jay-bird,
Do you only moderate ‘blue’ language that comes from others? But not from yourself?
Typical…
Closet Marxists… so cute.
I hope Que Pasa is hit by a car today.
It will be ever increasing hysterics between now and the election (if the past is any guide).
V be angry!
oh i am zen. i am peacefully awaiting you to be hit by a truck.
I’m over trying to fight or educate mean and stupid. I’m just going to hope for their deaths now.
here here V. We’re never going to get equality, better to just let the population thin out. less people to fight over everything….. have i just stumbled on the root of the conservative philosophy? let em all die, and take what remains….
well i guess we’ve become what we most despise then right? Maybe i’ll join QP in front of the truck.
everything in the news just makes me so damn angry. i give up.
You all have serious issues…wow!
V, i cope with barley wine. Flying dog makes a good one.
of course, all the 18-29 year olds saying “fuck it” is exactly what Roberts the like want.
my serious issue is that you’re living on this planet and breathing my air.
Fat Bastard down at WGMD has this to say about the Martin shooting on his Facebook page: “I’m marketing hoodies with this slogan: Neighborhood Watch!”
But of course, it has nothing to do with race.. no nothing at all.
The Delaware GOP must be so proud of their FAV event MC.
John Boehner spanks RMoney for critizing the President while he is abroad on offical business.
So are there any Delaware GOPers with newly minted Facebook pictures with Newtie? Ask them if they paid $50.00 for the privilege.
Wall Street Journal this morning:
“Support for Rick Santorum in Pennsylvania is crumbling, according to a new Franklin and Marshall College Poll of the state he represented in Congress for 16 years.
Mr. Santorum, is statistically tied with Mitt Romney in the poll with a 30% to 28% lead, within the poll’s margin of error. Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich came in with 9% and 6% respectively.
By contrast, the college’s February poll found Mr. Santorum with a commanding 45%-16% lead over the former Massachusetts governor.”