Republican Presidential Candidates Flip Out Over Crushing Supreme Court Obamacare Defeat

Moments after the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of upholding federal health care subsidies in the King v. Burwell ruling, Republican presidential candidates lined up to condemn the ruling. Despite the fact that a majority of the current Supreme Court justices are Republican appointees, GOP presidential candidates were quick to attack the court’s decision.

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul blasted the ruling complaining:

This decision turns both the rule of law and common sense on its head. Obamacare raises taxes, harms patients and doctors, and is the wrong fix for America’s health care system.

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush stated:

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I am disappointed by today’s Supreme Court ruling in the King v. Burwell case. But this decision is not the end of the fight against Obamacare … I will work with Congress to repeal and replace this flawed law with conservative reforms that empower consumers with more choices and control over their health care decisions.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio moaned:

I disagree with the Court’s ruling and believe they have once again erred in trying to correct the mistakes made by President Obama and Congress in forcing Obamacare on the American people. Despite the Court’s decision, Obamacare is still a bad law that is having a negative impact on our country and on millions of Americans.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker argued:

Today’s Supreme Court ruling upholding the administration’s implementation of ObamaCare means Republicans in the House and Senate must redouble their efforts to repeal and replace this destructive and costly law.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindahl stated:

Conservatives must be fearless in demanding that our leaders in Washington repeal and replace Obamacare with a plan that will lower health care costs and restore freedom.

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee denounced the court’s decision, arguing:

Today’s King v. Burwell decision, which protects and expands ObamaCare, is an out-of-control act of judicial tyranny.

Not a single GOP presidential candidate stepped forward to oppose party orthodoxy and admit that the court’s decision was a sensible one. The two principled conservatives on the court, John Roberts and Anthony Kennedy, voted to uphold Obamacare subsidies. However, all the Republicans running for president rejected their common sense jurisprudence, and instead aligned with the extreme ideologues on the court — Alitio, Scalia and Thomas.

For Republican presidential candidates opposing affordable health care for poor, working class and middle class Americans is an article of faith. Those same Republicans think a court ruling in favor of providing healthcare for Americans is judicial tyranny. The skewed dogmatic perspective of the GOP field makes all of their candidates unfit to serve as president.

Keith Brekhus

Keith Brekhus is a progressive American who currently resides in Red Lodge, Montana. He is co-host for the Liberal Fix radio show. He holds a Master’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Missouri. In 2002, he ran for Congress as a Green Party candidate in the state of Missouri. In 2014, he worked as a field organizer for Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick’s successful re-election bid in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District. He can be followed on Twitter @keithbrekhus or on Facebook.