Carville: A Supreme Court loss will help Democrats
(CNN) - While the Obama administration fights to protect the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, Democratic strategist and CNN contributor James Carville said a Supreme Court overruling may not be such a bad thing for the president, politically.
"I think this will be the best thing that has ever happened to the Democratic Party," Carville said Tuesday on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer."
He added: "You know, what the Democrats are going to say, and it is completely justified, 'We tried, we did something, go see a 5-4 Supreme Court majority'."
Carville, who gained fame working on Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign, predicted health care costs will only increase in the future, in which case Republicans will be to blame for leading the drive to expel a federal program designed to help Americans cover those costs.
"Then the Republican Party will own the healthcare system for the foreseeable future. And I really believe that. That is not spin," Carville said.
Republican and RedState.com editor Erik Erikson, meanwhile argued that an overruling would represent more mainstream sentiments than not.
"Both sides, not just the Democrat side, even if the laws were upheld or struck down, there is a 5-4 conservative majority, and historically you see Republicans picking justices who have a greater propensity to gravitate to the left than you see Democrat judges propensity to gravitate to the right," Erikson, also a CNN contributor, said. "This will be an undercurrent issue for both sides, though."
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What about the four left wing radicals – the left liberals are the activists – open up your eyes people!
Those of us who want Affordable Health Care for all must unite and push for insurance for all. We can no longer leave this to the politicians because they cannot work together to produce any legislation that would help us.
Those who are against affordable health care now want the Supreme Court to side with them. Gee, it wasn't too long ago they were angry about certain Supreme Court decisions that challenged their view of freedom.
"Both sides, not just the Democrat side, even if the laws were upheld or struck down, there is a 5-4 conservative majority, and historically you see Republicans picking justices who have a greater propensity to gravitate to the left than you see Democrat judges propensity to gravitate to the right," -– This is so glaringly incorrect it is laughable! Clarence Thomas and his wife received over $1 million from the Tea Party. Roberts' hatred of President Obama is palpable. If the Affordable Care Act is overturned what do the Republicans plan to do about the rising cost of healthcare and the rising number of people who don't have it? Answer - nothing. The GOP cares more about scoring political points than it does about solving problems for the American people.
I do hope the Supreme Court sees the federal government over-reach in this. Then the Romney Administration can help arrange full coverage affordable health care nationwide the way it should be done. By the states. Much better for everyone that way.
Pretty easy to see where this is heading. We have four who go along to get along (it's not like they have to worry about keeping their job) and five who are wholly owned subsidiaries of ALEC, the Republicans, and the Republican lobbyists. Thomas is the cherry on top of the crap sundae. The man hasn't opened his mouth to give an opinion that wasn't verbatim what Scalia said since he joined the bench. And why hasn't he recused himself from this case, considering he and his wife have torn up and thrown away any credibility they had by working for (!) and accepting money and 'honors' from anti-healthcare heavyweights in the U.S. Disgusting.
Can't believe Americans are cheering the potential loss of Affordable HealthCare! I don't trust Hospitals, Doctors and Pharmaceuticals at all and Insurance companies even less. I self-medicate without all the dreadful side effects, haven't been to a doctor in 35 years and then only to have a cyst lanced that I couldn't reach on my back. I've never stayed overnight in a hospital, thus avoiding all hospital-acquired infections and medication mistakes. I once cured a Brown recluse spider bite, with two doses of herbal antibiotics, while doctors wanted to cut an incision into my temple area, with all of its sensitive nerves and blood vessels, then stuff it with wads of medicated gauge. I was nearly precluded from serving in Viet Nam because of my refusal to submit to an invasive teeth-cleaning procedure deemed pre-requisite to serve in that theater and for the long-term health of my teeth. I am 65 and have 30 healthy teeth. I went for an eye exam about 4 years ago and the optometrist tried out a blood-pressure meter for the first time then recommended that I go to a local clinic for blood-pressure medicine which she clearly received a commission for selling. I promptly informed her that I would rather flame out than numb away, neither of which have I done, and that my business with her was an eye exam.
Clearly I don't trust the HealthCare industry and its affiliates. Having said all of that, I am still a proponent of the Affordable Care Act, mandate and all, for the millions of Americans that need and use the HealthCare system and even for the millions that overuse and abuse it. The penalty, for not contributing to the hated, thieving Insurance Industry, is based on my income and should be no more than $50 to $60 a year, which I can afford even on my limited, fixed income. In all reality, I should and may be able to get this penalty deferred by producing receipts for the herbs, vitamins, elixirs and cost of exercise (I am an avid runner_7 miles, 3 times a week and travel a distance to do so) that keeps me healthy and physically and mentally fit. If I need the healthcare system, then I will pay for it directly out of my pocket rather than paying middleman insurance companies. Should the expense become too much to bear, then I am prepared, as is my inalienable right, to flame out, not numb away!
The above diatribe is why I am so amaze and confounded why Americans are CHEERING THE LOSS of Affordable HealthCare. Even with my aversion to and avoidance of the HealthCare System, should it become absolutely necessary for me to use it, the out-of-pocket cost to me will be less because of the AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.
E PLURIBUS UNUM
Responsible adults have health insurance. most of the opposition from responsible adults to the president's plan is that it doesn't go far enough. but it was the best he could do with a congress full of knuckle-draggers. it is a good first step. when people vote for a president and congresspeople, they need to realize they're also voting for the make-up of the supreme court. if more people had thought of that, we might not have a supreme court today that thinks corporations are people! a defeat of this good start will mean people will die who wouldn't have had it remained in place. i hope all the folks praying for its defeat realize they're praying for people to die! of course, they won't take any responsibility for those deaths just like the rabid anti-Choice nuts take any responsibility when someone actually listens to them and goes out and kills a doctor.
Man,you got to respect James. He's pretty cool. I don't always agree with the guy.He has a good point. good spin.
Yea a loss is good so does that mean a win is bad? only in Obama world.
Carville forgets that for some time the polls have showed that most people want to see Obamacare repealed. So the majority of Americans will be grateful we have a conservative majority on the court.
When the bald man spouts this way I know we are in good shape! Vote Republican and end this dictatorship!
That is the biggest load of you no what ever. This guy gould not give a balanced assessment of anything ever, he is the greatest Dem apologist ever.
Still waiting for Scalia and Thomas to do the right thing and recuse. Too bad they're not honorable people.
this from the guy he wrote the Dems would rule for 40yrs, that only lasted 2. heck of crystal ball he has!
It's the economy stupid! Obama is toast with or without SCOTUS and the end of Obamacare. Hope it goes away but it is still the economy. stupid!
An overreach by any other name is still an overreach. Politics aside, this mandate is a forced invasion on personal rights where the next overreach will become ever more intrusive. As written, the law was rushed and forced through to the point where Pelosi gloated we would have to wait and see what was in it... It was only read by the authors, who had an agenda which was political. This will be the albatross to hang around every supporter. It will be the President's Waterloo.
Carville? Who's he?
Oh, yeah.
Him.
@Claudia from Phoenix. In case you weren't paying attention during the "affordable" health care "debate", big pharma was on board with the plan because the administration had bought them off. Big pharma was running tv ads for democrat senator Maria Cantwell in Washington state – who's pocket is big pharma in?
@NVa Native – you say the court is right wing and trying to impose their personal opinions. Who's trying to impose something in this case? the government is forcing all citizens (unless you're a union or other special interest party of the democrats and have gotten one of the over 1,000 waivers) to make a contract with a private insurance company like it or not. Who's "imposing" here.
Boy, that James Carville is still a hoot...
The healthcare reform bill is one of the most misunderstood pieces of legislation around. People think it somehow gives freeloaders free healthcare (not realizing that freeloaders already get free healthcare when they visit emergency rooms), but that's not what it does. It provides a nationwide network of privately run insurance plans that small business owners like myself can buy into. I'm really looking forward to that, as my current private insurance costs are sky high and have gone up dramatically every year since 2003. I also have a daughter graduating from college soon, and it would be nice to be able to keep her on my family health insurance while she's looking for a job. But all that's in jeopardy, and the Republicans are the ones cheering for its downfall. I just don't understand why Republicans hate small businesses so much.
Take an hour or two out of you day to day life and visit a VA Medical Center......that will give you a glimpse into what YOU and I will experience with Comrade Obama's National Health Care....and oh.....if you think that the current health care costs are out of control.....wait until it's FREE.....oh wait....it's not free.....oh wait....wait do you mean my current health insurer turned me over to ObamaCare......
Yeah what about the parents with kids that have "pre-existing conditions." Forget about them right, it's all about politics, who cares the effects it has on actual human beings baring the brunt of these political stunts. No one will insure these kids, and that's pathetic, that's a disgrace for a country with half our wealth never mind the United States of America. This whole thing is disgusting. This should have been done long ago.
NV a Native,
You need to learn the definition of 'activist judge'.
Let me guess, you're an Obama voter, right?
this is not spin, LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So now you think Ruth Bader Ginsberg is a moderate? When she argues the case of the lawyer in court? Cannot believe it.