Politics & Government
Southeast Metro Reacts to Supreme Court Ruling
Residents, local health care providers and politicians weigh in on the Supreme Court decision that President Obama's 'Affordable Health Care Act' does not violate the Constitution.
State Rep. Rick Hansen (D-South St. Paul) was home recovering from gallbladder surgery when he received the news of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Affordable Care Act.
“I would say I was pleasantly surprised,” said Hansen, who signed on an amicus brief supporting the ACA, also known by its more conversational moniker, “Obamacare.”
The decision rested largely on whether an "individual mandate" requiring all Americans to purchase health care was constitutional.
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Five of the nine justices agreed that the key to the mandate—the requirement that people either buy health insurance or pay a tax penalty—is a kind of tax, which Congress is allowed to impose using its taxing power.
“It restored some faith in the courts to be a nonpartisan judge of what laws are constitutional or not,” said Hansen.
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Meanwhile, at a in Lakeville on Thursday, two men were huddled over a laptop computer, a game of cribbage set to the side.
"This is an outrage," one man said to nobody in particular.
"I'm moving to Canada," the other replied.
"You can't. They have government-run health care, too," the first man said.
"Well what the heck? I can't believe this—Roberts in the majority, for the bad guys," the second said as both laughed.
Larry Kringle, the first man, and Jimmy Johnson, the second, were also reacting to today's news. "It's a bad day for the Constitution," Kringle, 71, from Elko said. "Granted, I'm a Republican, and maybe you think I'm biased, and you're probably right, but this is just a bad law that'll hurt more than it'll help."
Johnson, 68, from Rosemount, agreed.
"Next thing you know, the government will have the power to tax our breathing and eating," he said. "I know that's dramatic, but you get my drift. It's too much power."
U.S. Congressman John Kline (R-Second District), who represents Mendota Heights’ new congressional district, took that notion a step further, saying: "If Washington can penalize private citizens for failing to buy government-approved health insurance, then there is no reasonable limit on federal power."
Kline was particularly critical of the court's decision, which he called “a devastating blow to the American people."
In contrast, Betty McCollum (D-Fourth District) whose district includes Mendota Heights until 2013, has been an ardent supporter of the ACA.
“Today’s historic Supreme Court decision affirms President Obama’s leadership to extend healthcare coverage to millions of Americans,” said McCollum in a statement. “It is now time for Republicans in Congress to end their vitriolic repeal campaign and work on effectively implementing this law to the benefit of the American people.”
Eagan resident and District 51 Senate candidate Jim Carlson also supports the decision.
“We absolutely need it," Carlson said, referencing the Affordable Care Act. "We are getting so far behind our peer nations on providing health care and a healthy work force that it’s hurting us economically."
Carlson believes the court ruling will be a political stumbling block for conservative opponents of the Obamacare legislation.
Eagan-based Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota—the state's largest insurance provider—will continue implementing the law in a "manner that strives to serve the best interests" of Minnesotans, the company wrote in a statement.
"Blue Cross and Blue Shield considers reform to be something that also happens outside of legislation,” said the statement, citing a need for “systemic change.”
Hansen agreed, and drew comparison to his own situation, which he said could have been avoided through a healthier lifestyle.
“The core in the Affordable Care Act is something we’ve learned in Minnesota: Prevention is better than cleanup.”
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