Breaking News Archive 2012
A view from under the bus
I dont have to tell you the US Supreme Court decision on Obamacare was a disaster. What makes it doubly tragic is that Chief Justice John Roberts, perceived as one of our own, threw every American under the bus, because well all be impacted in some way by this federal legislation.
While writing the majority opinion, Roberts said that Congress could force Obamacare on the American peoplecomplete with its mandatory participation in abortion, healthcare rationing and euthanasia. The mandate was declared constitutional with a legal sleight of handprovided the price for disobeying the mandate is called a tax and not a penalty.
Some pundits complimented Roberts intellect, saying he was playing chess to ensure that the Supreme Court wasnt viewed as being political under his leadership as chief justice. But the tragic reality is that while Roberts fiddles with the courts image, Rome burns. During his chess match with the Obama administration, our religious rights and basic freedoms were discarded like yesterdays trash.
Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in his opinion, It is not our job to protect the people from the consequences of their political choices. At first glance, that has a ring of truth to it, but only until one considers that every law the US Supreme Court considers is the consequence of those the voters have elected. If Roberts is abdicating his courts responsibility, why do we even need them?
All of this, Roberts claims, was done in the name of judicial restraintthat the Court only interpret the constitution, not legislate from the bench. But that becomes an impossible sell when in the Obamacare decision Roberts first said the mandate wasnt a tax. This enabled Obamacare to get past the Anti-Injunction Act which wouldve required a citizen be actually taxed and claim damages before it could be brought before the Court. But paragraphs later, the Chief Justice did a complete about-face and declared the mandate could be considered a tax, making it within the powers of congress and thus constitutional.
Roberts judicial activism is especially egregious because from the very beginning Congress went out of its way to avoid calling it a tax so they could garner enough votes to pass it. A version of the bill calling it a tax was actually voted down. If Roberts judicial version of the bill wouldve been known earlier, Obamacare would have never seen the light of day.
The dissenting opinion, co-written by justices Alito, Scalia, Thomas and Kennedy, shows they know judicial activism when they see it. To say that the Individual Mandate merely imposes a tax is not to interpret the statute, but to rewrite it. Judicial tax-writing is particularly troubling.
The Court ruling has thrown us to the wolves of a vast government bureaucracy. This is a government entity that has at times demonstrated an outright hatred of Christianity, morality and the right to life.
An encouraging piece of this judicial disaster was that Justice Anthony Kennedy joined the dissenting opinion denouncing all of Obamacare as unconstitutional. Justice Kennedys stand against the legislation underscores what my colleague, Dr. Willke, has been saying about the chances of him siding with us against Roe v. Wade. This gives credibility to his theory.
President George W. Bush must be grieving the Courts ruling more than anyone. One of his greatest legacies was his impact on the Supreme Court. That legacy is now in tattersmuch like our constitution.
Just as Justice Harry Blackmun is notorious for Roe v. Wade, Chief Justice John Roberts will forever wear the mantle of Obamacare, going down in history for imposing anti-life bureaucratic mandates on our nation.
The redeeming news is that the end of this story has yet to be written. We can undo Obamacare if pro-life voters become educated on where every candidate stands on this legislation. This is not the time to sit out the election because a candidate on your ballot is less than perfect. This philosophy is partially responsible for the dire straight were in now.
If Americans stand in unison and say no to Obamacare and all of its embedded anti-life measures this November, newly elected officials can repeal this tragic behemoth. Electing candidates who will say no to Obamacare should be job one of all pro-life citizens.
Its not too early to start. Tell everyone you know to support candidates who value innocent human life from fertilization to natural death, and who will walk the talk by repealing Obamacare.
Working for our most basic rightthe right to life,
Bradley Mattes
Executive Director
Life Issues Institute
7/3/12
Life Issues Institute is dedicated to changing hearts and minds of millions of people through education. Organizations and individuals around the world depend upon Life Issues Institute to provide the latest information and effective tools to protect innocent human life from womb to tomb.
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