Top Court To Examine Obama-Brown ‘Individual Mandate’
As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments on President Barack Obama and Senator Sherrod Brown massive health care overhaul, Ohio voters are reminded that Sherrod Brown cast a deciding vote to ram the measure, known as ObamaCare, into law. This news comes just days after Ohio voters soundly rejected the individual mandate by over 30 points.
The Associated Press reports:
The Supreme Court said Monday it will hear arguments next March over President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul – a case that could shake the political landscape just as voters are about to decide if Obama deserves another term. The decision to hear arguments in the spring allows plenty of time for a decision in late June, just over four months before Election Day. This sets up an election-year showdown over the White House’s main domestic policy achievement. The justices announced they will hear more than five hours of arguments, an extraordinarily long session, from lawyers on the constitutionality of a provision at the heart of the law and other related questions about the act. The central provision in question is the requirement that individuals buy health insurance starting in 2014 or pay a penalty.
Brown supported the onerous “individual mandate,” voting specifically to kill an amendment to remove the mandate from the overall bill.
“The Supreme Court’s decision to weigh in on ObamaCare is yet another reminder to Ohioans that Senator Sherrod Brown voted to keep this onerous federal mandate as the law of the land,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Jahan Wilcox. “It’s clear that folks in Ohio continue to reject the Obama-Brown health care overhaul, yet Brown continues to side with President Obama over the objections of his state’s families and small businesses.”
Background Information:
- SHERROD BROWN: “‘Maybe it’s not ideal – it’s certainly not communism,’ said Mr. Brown, who voted for the reform measure and wrote part of the law. ‘It’s the best way for the most people in the country.’” (Julie M. McKinnon, “Sen. Brown Defends Rule Requiring Insurance,” Toledo Blade, 1/3/11)
- Brown Voted To Kill An Amendment That Would Have Removed The Individual Mandate From The Health Care Bill. “Baucus, D-Mont., motion to table (kill) the Ensign, R-Nev. amendment no. 3710 that would repeal provisions of the 2010 health care overhaul law that provide for IRS penalties for certain taxpayers that do not obtain basic health insurance coverage.” (H.R. 4872, CQ Vote #101: Motion agreed to 58-40: R 0-40; D 56-0; I 2-0, 3/25/10, Brown Voted Yea)
