Obamacare is ‘Unconstitutional’ Texas Judge Rules
Former President 's legacy continues to crumble amid ruling
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A Texas judge has ruled that the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, is 'unconstitutional,' a move that could affect the status of millions of American's health insurance.
The decision was made amid a six-week open enrollment time for the program.
Along with 19 other states, Texas argued to U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor that they had been negatively affected by the number of people using state-backed insurance.
Congress lowered the tax penalty from the program in 2017, which undermined the Supreme Court’s argumentation for determining Barack Obama’s signature legislation as 'constitutional' in 2012, the states claimed.
O’Connor, a conservative Republican who blocked many Obama-era policies wrote in a 55-page opinion, via Bloomberg.
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“The remainder of the ACA is non-severable from the individual mandate, meaning that the Act must be invalidated in whole."
"As I predicted all along, Obamacare has been struck down as an UNCONSTITUTIONAL disaster," President Trump tweeted in response to the ruling.
"Now Congress must pass a STRONG law that provides GREAT healthcare and protects pre-existing conditions. Mitch and Nancy, get it done!"
California, who was ruled against by the judge, is expected to dispute the decision and appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
“Today’s ruling is an assault on 133 million Americans with pre-existing conditions, on the 20 million Americans who rely on the A.C.A.’s consumer protections for health care, on America’s faithful progress toward affordable health care for all Americans,” California’s attorney general, Xavier Becerra, said in a statement, The New York Times reports.
“The A.C.A. has already survived more than 70 unsuccessful repeal attempts and withstood scrutiny in the Supreme Court.”
“Obamacare has been struck down by a highly respected judge," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement.
As I predicted all along, Obamacare has been struck down as an UNCONSTITUTIONAL disaster! Now Congress must pass a STRONG law that provides GREAT healthcare and protects pre-existing conditions. Mitch and Nancy, get it done!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2018
Wow, but not surprisingly, ObamaCare was just ruled UNCONSTITUTIONAL by a highly respected judge in Texas. Great news for America!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2018
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"The judge’s decision vindicates President Trump’s position that Obamacare is unconstitutional," Sanders continued.
"Once again, the President calls on Congress to replace Obamacare and act to protect people with preexisting conditions and provide Americans with quality affordable healthcare. We expect this ruling will be appealed to the Supreme Court. Pending the appeal process, the law remains in place.”
Predictably, many Democratic leaders denounced the ruling.
"The ruling seems to be based on faulty legal reasoning, and hopefully it will be overturned," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., tweeted.
"Americans who care about working families must do all they can to prevent this district court ruling from becoming law."
“While the district court’s absurd ruling will be immediately appealed, Republicans are fully responsible for this cruel decision and for the fear they have struck into millions of families across America who are now in danger of losing their health coverage," House Minority Leader Nancy said.
"When House Democrats take the gavel, the House of Representatives will move swiftly to formally intervene in the appeals process to uphold the life-saving protections for people with pre-existing conditions and reject Republicans’ effort to destroy the Affordable Care Act.”
Back in August, a Texas Attorney sued the federal government in an Obamacare lawsuit has won $839 million in damages.
Attorney General Ken Paxton lawsuit was a big blow to the Obama administration which highlighted flaws in the legislation, something the mainstream media ridiculed Donald Trump for repeatedly calling out.
