Yesterday—for a few moments—the individual mandate in the Affordable Care Act was deader than the 45,000 Americans who die every year for lack of health insurance, according to a Harvard study. On TV and on Twitter, CNN and Fox News reported that Roberts court had, as most observers expected, struck down the mandate, maiming President Obama’s signature achievement. Then the magical power of reading comprehension saved the day.
Within minutes, word spread that Justice Roberts recognized his court’s credibility was on the line and saved the law. Conservatives freaked. They immediately turned on their golden boy Roberts. Some, hilariously, vowed to move to Canada, which has single-payer health care and legalized gay marriage. Mitt Romney—whose health care law was Madonna to President Obama’s Lady GagaCare—responded with a speech that listed every debunked lie about ObamaCare, except Death Panels. And he promised to repeal the law and replace is with the healing power of lower taxes for the richest.
Thus, the 2012 election has shaped into a real question of what kind of America we want to live in. Are we America that will live with Mitt Romney’s health care plan or an America that lets Mitt Romney take away his health care plan?
DEWEY DEFEATS OBAMACARE
— Dr. Crop (@Dr_Cop) June 28, 2012
Only in America would so many overweight, diabetic people with heart disease be upset that they’re gonna have healthcare. #SCOTUS #Obamacare — Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) June 28, 2012
Hadn’t seen this, so I hadn’t known Fox read from the Roberts’ opinion on the air and still got it wrong. Sweet Jesus. youtu.be/nVefGDu8Xfg — Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) June 29, 2012
CNN & Fox goofed today; only one apologized–and *you* know who it is. Bc *you* understand the psychology of ideology mediamatters.org/blog/201206280… — chrismooney_ (@ChrisMooney_) June 29, 2012
I can finally tell the world: I have a uterus! — rob delaney (@robdelaney) June 28, 2012
Healthcare a) is universal or b) allows some poor people to get sick & die w/out care. There is no c. — David Roberts (@drgrist) June 28, 2012
Wow, on @piersmorgan Rick Santorum just gave a soliloquy about how awful Romneycare was for Mass. #withsurrogateslikethese — Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) June 29, 2012
Well into fourth wave of CW. 1. Mandate gone. 2. Wait, mandate lives! 3. Wait, conservatives win on doctrine. 4. Wait, they didn’t win much!
— Jonathan Cohn (@CitizenCohn) June 28, 2012
It makes sense for people to respond to today’s ruling by giving money to Romney–as a thank you for setting this all in motion.
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) June 28, 2012
Sign things are getting better: Didn’t see anyone tweet “that’s a clown ruling bro” yesterday
— AdamSerwer (@AdamSerwer) June 29, 2012
