The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the right of Congress to require Americans to purchase health care insurance.
The historic decision about the legality of the Affordable Care Act — President Barack Obama’s signature legislation — is a legal opinion based on the court’s interpretation of the Constitution.
It is neither an endorsement nor a condemnation of the health care act, but rather a decision that should move America beyond the debate over the legality of the law.
Much remains to be accomplished in terms of providing needed health care for all Americans. The ACA is only a first step and it could be removed as federal law, depending on the winner of the November election.
While some may disagree with the how the Supreme Court reached its decision, we believe its decision will stand. We seriously doubt the court will revisit that decision in the future.
The real decision now is where we go in terms of providing health care to the nation.
The new law will penalize — the court says it’s a tax — individuals who can afford to buy health insurance as determined by income guidelines, but who choose not to do so. People who fall below those guidelines will either receive subsidies or will qualify for Medicaid.
The Supreme Court made the tough legal call. However, most of the items addressed within the law won’t take effect until 2014, well after November’s national elections.
Presidential candidate Mitt Romney and Republican House and Senate leaders have said they will repeal the health care law if they win at the polls. Obama and Democratic House and Senate leaders are just as determined to preserve the law.
The Supreme Court decision is only one of two hurdles the law must clear.
Voters will ultimately decide if the law stands.
Opinion
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Discussion
Our View: Sustaining federal power
- Opinion
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Our View: Setting standard
The sight of hundreds of young student volunteers walking across Moore’s Fourth Street interstate overpass had to be uplifting to the city’s tornado victims.
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Our View: Safer schools
Being able to see for ourselves what would have happened to our children had they been standing in the main hall of their schools during the May 22, 2011, tornado had a profound effect on our understanding of safe schools.
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Marilyn Beasley, guest columnist: Claiming responsibility for abuse of power
Over the past few months we’ve witnessed the abuse of power by President Barack Obama and his administration.
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Our View: ‘Why?’ has no answer
Just hours before, there was breakfast and laughter. There were pictures on the walls and memories in every room.
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Our View: Absent from House
We can’t figure out why two Missouri legislators think they should be elected to the U.S. House when it appears they can’t seem to show up to take care of business in the Missouri House.
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Your View: Terrible injustice
I see this Jasper County nuisance law as a terrible injustice on the rights of the residents of Jasper County.
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Your View: Should we be outraged?
Were there effusive apologies following the lockdown of Boston as most of the continent indulged vicariously in the ongoing manhunt?
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Your View: Terrorism is terrorism
In the May 13 issue of The Joplin Globe there was an Associated Press article concerning the New Orleans shooting.
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Phill Brooks, columnist: Missouri Senate did what Founding Fathers had in mind
George Washington once described the Senate as being like a saucer in which you pour coffee or tea.
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Other Views: Conflicts in SEC
Money talks. In the continuing dispute over the all-too-cozy relationship between the people who create and sell financial products and the people who rate their risk, the money says: Shut up and let us do what we want.
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