Virginia Judge Declares "Individual Mandate" Clause of ObamaCare Unconstitutional

ObamaCare was dealt a huge blow today by a court ruling in Virginia that declared the provision that will make it mandatory for all Americans to get some sort of health insurance unconstitutional:

A federal judge in Virginia has ruled parts of the sweeping health care reform effort led by President Obama to be unconstitutional.

This is the first federal court to strike down the law, contradicting other recent rulings the law was permissible. The key issue of contention was the “individual mandate” requirement that most Americans purchase health insurance by 2014.

The case is Virginia v. Sebelius.

This could cut the legs off of ObamaCare. They are counting on the new taxes on health insurance that would be coming in to pay for the government insurance. Without those new taxes, then, insuring the uninsured would be unsustainable and would virtually take down the whole ObamaCare program in the process.

However, this is not even close to being over. The US District Court followed by the Supreme Court will have their say on the issue within the next few months.

Obama Gives Stone Cold Salute to 9/11 Survivors, Families

The Obama Administration has outdone themselves. According to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, the federal government will stop paying the doctor bills for 9/11 survivors that are suffering from complications resulting from the terrorist attack:

The state's two senators and 14 House members met with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius just hours before President Obama implored in his speech to the nation for Congress to come together and deliver a government that delivers on its promises to the American people.

So the legislators were floored to learn the Democratic administration does not want to deliver for the tens of thousands of people who sacrificed after 9/11, and the untold numbers now getting sick.

"I was stunned — and very disappointed," said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who like most of the other legislators had expected more of a discussion on how to more forward.

"To say the least, I was flabbergasted," said Staten Island Rep. Mike McMahon.

The 9/11 bill would spend about $11 billion over 30 years to care for the growing numbers of people getting sick from their service at Ground Zero, and to compensate families for their losses.

The bill is only $11B over 30 years. That is only about $367M per year. Yes, that is still a lot of money, but is a far cry that Obama wants to spend on Obamacare. The health bills will be over $1T over a much shorter amount of time. It's more than likely that Obamacare will cost over $11B per year, instead of over the course of thirty.

Normally, I don't think that the government should be paying for people's health care, but this is for the victims from a terrorist attack and an act of war. The circumstances are much different.

Why would Obama do this? This could only hurt him politically with everyone not just one side or the other. I know that his proposal of a spending freeze shows that he is trying to pivot and position himself as more of a deficit hawk and not a free-spender, but this is the wrong thing to cut. This will be a PR nightmare for him, if it ever gets into the consciousness of Americans. Of course, the mainstream media seems to be ignoring this story, but it may be too big to hide. If it does, he'll regret it.

Kansas: New Abortion Law Requires Offering Ultrasounds Before All Abortions

New Kan. law: Before abortions, offer ultrasounds
Mar 27, 6:10 PM EDT

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has signed a bill ensuring that clinics give women and girls seeking abortions a chance to see ultrasound images before performing the procedure.

The legislation was signed Friday and takes effect July 1. It also requires clinics to offer abortion patients a chance to listen to the fetal heartbeat.

Sebelius signed the measure as she awaits U.S. Senate confirmation as federal Health and Human Services secretary. Anti-abortion groups in Washington have criticized her nomination because she supports abortion rights.

The bill amends a state law requiring doctors to obtain a patient's informed consent before performing an abortion.

© 2009 The Associated Press.

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http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/K/KANSAS_ABORTION?SITE=PASUN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
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My Thoughts

Kansas had a weird day with the abortion issue. First, Dr. Tiller was exonerated, and now the NARAL favorite and Obama's HHS department nominee signed an odd amendment to the abortion law.

I'm not quite sure what they are trying to accomplish with the new law. Why give an ultrasound to a baby that your going to kill anyway? I suppose they are trying to reduce the number of abortions by pulling on the mother's heart strings by having them see and hear the baby alive.

HHS Nominee Has Ties With Late-term Abortion Doctor

AP Ignores Notorious Abortionist’s Ties to Obama Nominee By Matthew Philbin
March 16, 2009 - 14:50 ET

A notorious abortion doctor that specializes in grisly late-term procedures is heading to trial at the same time a politician he contributed to and socialized with is awaiting confirmation as President Obama’s Health and Human Services Secretary. Interesting story? Not to the Associated Press.

AP writer Roxana Hegeman wrote on March 14 about the trial of Dr. George Tiller, which began on March 16. “Tiller is charged with 19 misdemeanors alleging he failed to obtain the required second opinion from an independent physician that a late-term abortion is necessary,” she wrote. “If convicted, the Wichita physician could face a year in the county jail or a fine of $2,500 for each charge.”

Hegeman sketched Tiller’s notoriety, saying “Tiller and his Wichita clinic have been regular targets of anti-abortion demonstrations, including the 45-day "Summer of Mercy" event staged by Operation Rescue in 1991. His clinic was damaged by a pipe bomb in 1986, and in 1993 a protester shot him in both arms.”

But she left out an interesting and timely bit of information. Tiller and his wife donated a $12,450 in campaign contributions to Kathleen Sebelius when “she was running and serving as the state’s insurance commissioner.” Later, as governor of Kansas, Sebelius hosted the couple at a reception in the governor’s mansion. The source for this information? The AP itself.

Sebelius is a pro-abortion Catholic whose bishop has asked not to receive communion. Obama’ HHS nominee is a favorite of the pro-abortion lobby, having struck down several Kansas bills that would place mild restrictions on abortion.

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http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/matthew-philbin/2009/03/16/ap-ignores-notorious-abortionist-s-ties-obama-nominee
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My Thoughts

This is a sign that the most pro-abortion president in American history and a very strong pro-abortion HHS secretary will put forth bill like the Freedom of Choice Act which will make available on demand with no regard to the life of the baby at all.