LETTER: Ruling restores faith in government

To the Editor:

Last week’s decision by the Supreme Court has restored some of my faith in the health of our democracy.

Chief Justice John Roberts will no doubt be viewed by some on the right as a sellout, and unfairly so. I’m not sure of his motivation. Did his deciding vote come as a result of his belief that the Affordable Care Act (AFA) was, after much study and reflection, found to be constitutionally sound? Did he feel that the merits of AFA out-weighed any negative arguments it’s opponents offered? 

Could Roberts have felt that if he cast a deciding vote against AFA, it would have put a negative light on his court, by being too partisan on too many issues.

Let’s face facts here folks, this Supreme Court will be known in the history books as the Roberts Court. Perhaps he just didn’t want to be remembered as the justice that voted along with his party affiliation, and the good of the people be damned.

I don’t know what was in his heart, but I do believe he did what is best for the country. After the Gore/Bush decision and Citizens United, I really think one more decision favoring the extreme right would have been considered by many, myself included, as a death knell for our democracy.

Of course the Republicans have vowed they will not give up the fight, and Gov. Mitt Romney has said that on his first day in office he will repeal Obamacare. This could be a problem for the former governor on several fronts. First he’s assuming he’ll be elected, then he’d have to get his legislation through both houses of Congress, as he can’t just make it go away by presidential decree.

Let’s just say for the sake of argument that Romney does get elected (but I think his stock fell a few points today) and let’s say he gets the legislation through both houses of Congress. What then? Would we go back to the way things have always been, crowded emergency rooms for those who can’t afford insurance, and the best care for those who are fortunate enough to have it? Or would President Romney want to replace Obamacare with something different?  Like Romneycare!

George Richard

New Richmond

Tags: letters to the editor, opinion