By State Representative, Leon D. Young
Leon D. Young
This week I must begin by eating some political crow. If you remember in my column two weeks ago, I went out on the limb and predicted that the Supreme Court would strike down the Affordable Health Care Act by declaring it to be unconstitutional.
As most of us know, this legislation is President Obama’s signature domestic policy initiative and stunning achievement, since assuming the Oval Office. However, the GOP has been relentless in their verbal assaults and political tirades against this measure.
Just as unpredictable, in my view, was the make-up of the justices that constituted the majority for this landmark decision. Most court observers had speculated that Justice Anthony Kennedy could potentially be the swing vote in upholding this controversial health care plan. However, when the dust finally did settle, Chief Justice John Roberts had opted to side with some of his more progressive colleagues sitting on the High Court. Furthermore, Chief Justice Roberts actually wrote the majority opinion in this landmark case.
The fallout from this decision has been fairly predictable. Former GOP hopeful and current governor of Texas, Rick Perry, has come out with guns blazing against the Affordable Health Care Act and the recent Supreme Court ruling. Governor Perry has gone on record as having declared that this act’s expanded Medicaid coverage for the poor will not be implemented in his state, despite the fact that Texas ranked dead last in the federal government’s report on healthcare services and delivery. And he indicated that he’ll also nix the health insurance exchange, another major tenet of the legislation.
Perry shares his sentiments with a growing list of governors including Nikki Haley of South Carolina , Scott Walker of Wisconsin, Rick Scott of Florida and Bobby Jindal of Louisiana.
From all indications, the race for the White House this fall will be a highly contested and close election. Wisconsin will be a must-win battleground state once again. Clearly, President Obama’s prospects for a second-term in office rest in the balance.