The Supreme Court Reviews Historic Healthcare Overhaul Provisions

President Obama was elected, in part, on his promise to overhaul the healthcare system in the United States. Two years ago, in an historic moment, the overhaul became law known as ObamaCare. Today, the Supreme Court is reviewing ObamaCare, or rather certain provisions of ObamaCare to determine whether or not the overhaul provisions stand up to the Constitutional rigor.  What the Supreme Court determines will either tear apart the law or cement its place in history.

The debate at stake is whether the Federal Government has the right to regulate health care as Interstate Commerce.  Opponents say that there is no interstate commerce to be regulated while proponents hold the position that the uninsured who are required to be treated in the Emergency Rooms trigger interstate commerce by having the costs associated with their care transferred to the insured. At issue is the “minimum coverage” provision requiring everyone to have insurance. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli defended the minimum coverage provision by stating that “Congress found that the cost of tens of billions of dollars in uncompensated care provided to the uninsured is passed on to insured consumers, raising average annual family premiums by more than $1000.”

Regardless of where you stand on the issue, all eyes will be on the Supreme Court until it’s ruling is published.

Illinois – a State which historically votes Democrat and the home State of President Obama.  Illinois is also a State which also could play a MAJOR role in determining the next Republican candidate.  Rick Santorum could come away with a victory but could not win all of the delegates up for grabs.  Why?  Because the rules are complicated.  Santorum was late filing paperwork early in the process and that cost him 10 delegates.  The process is also complicated because the voters votes twice.  They vote once on who should win the election.  They vote again on the delegates.  All told just over 50 delegates are up for grabs during the election today, but a total of 69 delegates will go to the convention in Tampa later this year.  Complicated?  For sure.  Important for the Republican candidates.  More so.  Check in later for the results.

In spite of Mitt Romney’s comments about Santorum clinging only to hope, it seems that the people have spoken. Well, at least in the deep South. It was a big upset for Romney, and a narrow and marginal win for Santorum in Alabama and Mississippi. However, Romney did snag Hawaii and American Samoa.

It’s widely known that Romney’s campaign finance pockets are much deeper than Santorum’s, and proves that Santorum is a force to be reckoned with, say political experts.

So where does this put Gingrich? CNN political experts speculate that he’s gone as far as he can. Although Gingrich claims that he is going to see this to the end, eventually the campaign funds will disappear along with his support.

What do you think? Is Santorum gonna squeeze in and take the nomination? Or is Romney’s win inevitable?

Whether or not you like him – you have heard of him.  And unless you have lived in a cave the past two weeks you have heard what he said regarding college student Sandra Fluke and her testimony to a Congressional panel regarding women’s health and subsidized contraceptives.  In reaction to her testimony, Conservative Talk Radio host Rush Limbaugh called Ms. Fluke a “slut” and a “prostitute” for her position on supporting the subsidization of contraceptives.  Reaction to the comments was immediate and resulted in President Obama calling Ms. Fluke and thanking her for expressing her views.

Calls for reaction from the GOP candidates solicited only moderate reactions from the candidates with Romney saying that the words used were a poor choice.  But the public’s reaction demanded more and many called for a boycott of the Limbaugh show and its sponsors.  This has lead to many sponsors dropping Rush.  At writing, Limbaugh has lost 9 sponsors including AOL, Quicken Loans and ProFlowers.  Over this past weekend Rush did reach out and apologize to Ms. Fluke for calling her those inappropriate names.  The apology was short and to the point.  Ms. Fluke’s reaction?  She just hoped that Mr. Limbaugh did not intend on calling her to personally apologize.

In an odd twist, Missouri State House Speaker Steven Tilley said this week he decided to honor Limbaugh months ago with recognition in the Hall of Famous Missourians in the State Capitol.  Speaker Tilley stated that the decision to recognize Limbaugh was made long before the most recent controversy. The Republican lawmaker and Limbaugh, who was born in Cape Girardeau, Mo., are both from the state’s southeastern corner.

Can you feel it?  Today is super?  Super Tuesday to be exact.  And it is an extremely important day for the remaining GOP Presidential Candidates.  At day’s end two candidates may be completely rethinking their campaigns and two could continue to battle it out for front runner status.  A quick perusal of the headlines sums it up:  Super Tuesday could alter the campaign but not decide it.  So what is up for grabs?

Today, 11 states will hold either primaries or caucuses with over 400 delegates at stake.  Not enough delegates to secure the GOP nomination, 1,144 are needed, but enough to secure front runner status if enough are won.  While Ron Paul has focused his efforts on Alaska and Newt Gingrich on his home state of Georgia, Romney and Santorum are putting up an epic battle in Ohio.  Many are looking at a victory in Ohio as a tell tale sign as to how well the candidates are coming across to America’s blue collar worker.  Santorum has continued to hammer away at comments made by Romney and his campaign staffers that have helped paint Romney as an elitist candidate not in touch with working class America.  Romney has countered this claim by talking more about his contact with factory workers and making that connection.  Ohio could prove to be the bell weather state.  Santorum soured ahead in the polls leading up to Super Tuesday but in the past two weeks Romney has closed the gap to a near dead heat.

So with Paul and Gingrich focusing their efforts elsewhere, Ohio will be a toss up between Romney and Santorum.  Where will the remaining chips fall?  Check any news station later this evening for the results and their analysis.  It should prove to be an exciting and Super Tuesday.  See you at the polls.