It should also be noted that in addition to unconstitutional rulings of the Obama Health Care Freedom Act and 27 states suing there are  a number of states considering "nullification".

Idaho, Maine, Montana, Oregon, Nebraska, Texas and Wyoming -- are considering "nullification" bills. The main premise behind nullification contends the states, not the U.S. Supreme Court, are the final authority when Congress and the President act unconstitutionally.

Idaho seems the closest to actually passing a nullification bill. There's been a lot of speeches denouncing federal encroachment on states’ rights and a few feckless resolutions which are more loud noise than substance.

But as this makes it way to the U.S. Supreme Court it would be a monumental showdown if a substantial number of states "nullified" ObamaCare and the U.S. Supreme Court upheld it!!

There a very good book I recommend for the history of nullification. The title is, " Nullification: How to Resist Federal Tyranny in the 21st Century". by Thomas E. Woods, Jr.

Nullification was conceived by Thomas Jefferson and as Woods describes, "the Federal Government cannot be permitted to hold a monopoly on constitutional interpretation or the exclusive right to judge the extent of its own powers, or it would continue to grow, regardless of elections...."

But as was stated in the initial post, "One thing is for sure, this is far from over..."

...isn't that just the sort of the same legislating from the bench that the right wingers always gripe about?

Funny how the right-wingers do not mind this kind of judicial activism when it suits their purposes-- Mark Levin being amongst the first to moan and gripe about that sort of ruling! 

So the Obama haters found a friendly court to indulge their ax-grinding... big deal.  Wake me up when the Supreme Court rules on it, because you know that this will be appealed.  In the meantime, there is no reason for the government to completely halt dead in its tracks because of this ruling. 

Mark Levin's hypocrisy shows when he asks for an order of contempt.  For instance, I didn't see the Levin and the right wingers calling for an immediate end to Don't Ask Don't Tell when a District Court Judge ruled the law unconstitutional.  And in that case, what did the Obama Administration do?  They didn't just use the one court ruling to defy the law that was on the books, even though they wanted the law gone.  They asked Congress to repeal the law, and it did so.  That's how you do things the right way.  The Republicans don't have the votes to repeal the health care law, so they are trying to do it via back-channel means through their allies in the judiciary.

Obama's a consitutional lawyer, too, by the way, just like the hack Mark Levin purports himself to be.

The case was actually decided on the basis that Congress did not have the authority to pass the individual mandate under the Commerce Clause.  The Commerce Clause only allows Congress to regulate "activity" in interstate commerce, and the Judge found that the deciding not to purchase health insurance was not an "activity."  It was passive inactivity. 

The Judge did a nice job of explaining the history of the Commerce Clause.  It was a very well written opinion.  However, it rests upon a factual determination that the Supreme Court could disagree with, eg. is the economic decision not to purchase health insurance now, sufficient activity to fall within Congress' Commerce Clause authority?

The Judge did acknowledge that this decision has a substantial effect on interstate commerce, mainly because those who forego health insurance who later need health care cannot be denied treatment and the expense is passed on to the rest of us.  He just did not find this to be enough to require a mandate that everyone purchase health care.

I am usually in favor of the courts limiting Congress' power under the Commerce Clause.  I think it has already been expanded way too far.  However, President Obama was elected primarily based on his promise to "fix" our health care system, which will one day collapse if nothing is done.  He has proposed a solution - but it can only work if everyone has coverage.  Otherwise, as the number of those without insurance increases, the rest of us will not be able to afford coverage. 

You've all raised some very good points and I appreciate you taking the time to stop by and weigh in on this.

While there is a need for some kind of health support, we still need to make sure that it is really in line with the greatest number of people. Not just for the satisfaction of the few.

 --Y. Bonlingo--