To the editor:
In my view the Supreme Court approval of "ObamaCare" was not constitutional. The Supreme Court exceed its authority. They came to an extra-constitutional decision.
The entire thrust of the Democrats was to push the legislation through the Congress as fast as possible with as little debate as possible. They succeeded. The entire argument was that the "Affordable Care Act" would reduce the cost of care, make health care more accessible, was not a tax and was permitted under the Constitution has turned out to be a masterly done "bait and switch" tactic.
The so called "mandate" (not a tax) argument would have failed constitutional muster. So instead of arguing before the Supreme Court that the ACA was a mandate they argued that it was a really after all a tax. Chief Justice Roberts swallowed that argument "hook line and sinker." The Supreme Court should have sent it back to Congress to be debated and approved as a "tax." The Supreme Court has no authority to change legislation so that they can approve it. That power lies solely in the Congress.
Had the Democrats from the beginning referred to the ACA as a tax and that under the Constitution they have the authority to tax, it would have never passed Congress based on the "tax" argument. Of course Congress has the power to tax but more taxes is not a good campaign strategy for winning votes.
The Democrats had a long view of how to sell the American public a "bill of goods" that they swallowed. However, it will turn from sweet to bitter as the reality of socialized medicine becomes evident. It will cost more than advertised (budget breaker), result in fewer doctors, long waiting times (months or years), denial of care, substandard care, increases in death rates, closing of hospitals and nursing homes. The "Affordable Care Act" will actually turn into the "Un-affordable Denial of Care Act."
This is not to say that the present health care system does not have institutional and structural problems that need immediate corrective action. It does. However, corrective measures must be well thought out and implemented appropriately while building a national consensus.
Clyde Bailey
Lewistown
