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By Larry O'Dell
RICHMOND
President Barack Obama's health care overhaul gets its first federal appeals court test in Virginia on Tuesday.
A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond will hear arguments in Virginia's lawsuit challenging the law.
The federal government is appealing U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson's ruling striking down the law's provision requiring individuals to buy health insurance or pay a penalty. Hudson declared the mandate unconstitutional.
The same three-judge panel will hear arguments Tuesday in a similar challenge by Liberty University. In that case, U.S. District Judge Norman Moon ruled the insurance mandate is a proper exercise of congressional authority under the Commerce Clause.
The two Virginia lawsuits are among 31 that have been filed seeking to invalidate the law.
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You have to give it to the health insurance companies...
they run a mean spin machine. They have effectively convinced a large sector of the American population that it is better to pay inflated premiums to private insurers so CEO's and share holders can maintain their elaborate salaries and bonuses.
Vermont is the only state in the nation it seems that has not been duped by the public relations propaganda and spin.
Hopefully, their single payer system will survive the coming onslaught of attacks from Republicans and Private Health Insurance companies and like social security will become a sound solid social net for American citizens.
There is a reason the rest of the industrialized free world has universal health care and is not rushing to privatize.
how much?
How much is this court case going to costs the taxpayer?
What's your point?
After it's found to be unconstitutional do you think that Obama will refund the state of Virginia all the money they had to spend?
Cost to the taxpayer
My guess is that this court case will cost the taxpayer roughly .0000000021 percent of the comparative cost to the taxpayer if Obamacare is permitted to become fully effective.
The best (and most honest) outcome would be legislative appeal. But since Republicans are just about as cowardly and feckless as Democrats, legislative repeal is unlikely. Instead, given that our courts have taken over virtually every other aspect of governance, they might as well exercise their unfettered powers for something worthwhile.
Save us from Obamacare!
Correction
That should read "legislative repeal".
someone Should ask the question every time
… but most of these people are probably on straight salary. They might as well spend their time on this. This is a very serious issue regardless of which side one is on.
This will put SCOTUS in a bind
To which of their masters will they respond: The Tea Party Republicans who oppose the mandate (or anything else Pres Obama proposes) or the health insurance industry that is salivating at the opportunity to sell 40 million more overpriced government-subsidized policies?
In the good old days
I swear I remember a day when I thought a case going to court, especially the Supreme Court, would be decided based on an honest interpretation of the Constitution, not what a justice wished it said or whether they carried around an (R) or a (D). Why is that asking for too much these days?
Americans have forgotten
Americans have forgotten what it means to be a free people. Regardless of the court's decision regarding health care mandates, we now live in a country where a panel of 3 or 7 or 9 presidentially appointed federal judges can determine the extent of our personal freedoms.
Huh?
The Founding Fathers created an independent judiciary as the third branch of government under Article III of the U.S. Constitution.
When exactly did Americans forget what it means to be a free people?