Subsidies safe

As most already know, on June 25 the U.S. Supreme Court upheld subsidies for Americans who receive health coverage under the Affordable Care Act through federally-run state exchanges.

In a 6-3 decision, Justices swept aside arguments that the law only grants subsidies to those who buy through state-run exchanges even though the law's language seems to say just that.

"Congress passed the Affordable Care Act to improve health insurance markets, not to destroy them. If at all possible, we must interpret the Act in a way that is consistent with the former, and avoids the latter," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority.

In other words, the law might say one thing, but the court decided the "intent" of the law outweighs the letter.

Associate Justice Antonin Scalia made that point in a scathing dissent.

"This Court, however, concludes that this limitation would prevent the rest of the Act from working as well as hoped. So it rewrites the law to make tax credits available everywhere. We should start calling this law SCOTUScare," he wrote.

Well said.

(SCOTUS, by the way, is the acronym for Supreme Court of the United States.)

But even a well-reasoned dissent doesn't change the outcome: Obamacare subsidies are in place and the whole program looks pretty safe. Congress even with both chambers in Republican hands has failed to make a dent in it.

Why? Well, it appears the GOP is scared to get rid of Obamacare because they have nothing to replace it with except self-righteous indignation and hot air.

They rant and rave against it. That's good politics. But they also know that should the ACA go away, they would have a lot of 'splaining to do back home. They may have a lot of constituents who think Obamacare is the devil's tool, but they also have a good number of voters who benefit from it.

So the Republicans can talk a good game but breathe a sigh of relief that the court gave them an out.

If the GOP is really serious about getting rid of Obamacare, then they have one option: Come up with something better.

We have heard a lot of talk about conservative options and reforms, but nothing concrete. And until the Republicans figure out something they can put before the public and explain exactly how it would be better than Obamacare for the approximately six million lower income Americans and those with pre-existing conditions who benefit from the program then they are doomed to failure.

Because while many see Obamacare as a disaster, it is nothing compared to the mess Republicans would have on their hands if they repeal it with nothing to take its place.

"Obama's for it so we're against it" is not a strategy. And it's getting old.

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