Posted on 11/26/2012 2:58:34 PM PST by NYer
The Supreme Court today ordered a federal appeals court to take a new look at the controversial Obamacare law and whether it unconstitutionally forces taxpayers to fund abortions and contraception, violating religious freedoms.
The high court ordered the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to consider the case of Liberty University, a Christian college that contends Obama’s health care law violates the school’s religious freedoms. A federal judge rejected the case and the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the lawsuit was premature but did not deal with the main points the lawsuit brought up.
When the Supreme Court upheld the Obamacare law this summer, that ruling essentially rejected all other lawsuits like the one from Liberty University but the college filed the suit anew arguing that its claims were separate from the ones the Supreme Court considered in its 5-4 decision upholding the law.
Liberty University is challenging the requirement that people must obtain health insurance or pay a penalty and provisions requiring employers to offer health care for their employees.
Before the Supreme Court’s decision, the Department of Justice informed the Supreme Court that it did not oppose Liberty University’s Petition for Rehearing the Court’s denial of review of the case of Liberty University v. Geithner.
“I am very pleased with the High Court’s ruling. Today’s ruling breathes new life into our challenge to ObamaCare. Our fight against ObamaCare is far from over,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law. “Congress exceeded its power by forcing every employer to provide federally mandated insurance. But even more shocking is the abortion mandate, which collides with religious freedom and the rights of conscience.”
Liberty Counsel, representing Liberty University and two private individuals, asked the Court to grant its Petition for review, vacate the ruling of the Court of Appeals, and remand (send back) the case for the Court of Appeals to consider the outstanding and unresolved claims, including the constitutionality of the employer mandate and the Free Exercise claim. That is what the Supreme Court ruled today.
The case is now the first case in the nation in which a federal court of appeals would consider challenges to the employer mandate and the Free Exercise of Religion claim. The case could then go back to the Supreme Court in 2013.
Initially, the Court of Appeals in the Liberty University case ruled 2-1 that the Anti-Injunction Act (AIA) barred it from reaching the merits of the case, ruling that if the individual insurance mandate in ObamaCare is a tax, then the tax had to be paid before a court could entertain the suit. Liberty Counsel filed a petition with the Supreme Court, asking it to reverse the Court of Appeals.
In June 2012, the Supreme Court ruled that the AIA does not apply to the individual insurance mandate, but did not reach the merits of Liberty University’s case. The Supreme Court then denied Liberty University’s request for review. Liberty Counsel then asked the Court to grant its petition, vacate the ruling of the Court of Appeals, and send it back to address the unresolved merits of the case, namely, the employer mandate and the Free Exercise claim based on ObamaCare’s forced funding of abortion.
“ObamaCare is the biggest funding of abortion in American history,” said Staver. “ObamaCare will for the first time require employers and individuals to directly fund abortion. This abortion mandate collides with religious freedom and the rights of conscience.”
Ping!
If Liberty University wins, Obamacare will die a quick death. I’m not so sure Obama really wants Obamacare to survive, especially since all the waivers granted go away in 2014 and all the waivers go away.
Don’t worry wth John Roberts on the case this will come out as something horrible
It won’t change anything. The fix is already in.
“It won’t change anything. The fix is already in.”
You got it. far too much money involved.
A little late there, SCOTUS, dontcha think???
Correct, it’s not about healthcare, it’s a follow the money thing.
All it will take is another attache case full of cash.
They must have pics of him making love to the last attache case full of cash
Roberts will rule that the fetus isn’t actually killed, just penalized with a shortened lifespan.
The only good reason for SCOTUS to send this case back to the Fourth Circuit is if SCOTUS will ultimately hear this case. Otherwise, it’s just wasting everyone’s time.
lol
4th Circuit (Richmond)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Court_of_Appeals_for_the_Fourth_Circuit
Maryland
North Carolina
South Carolina
Virginia
West Virginia
Brand new look: same tired old liberal answer....
I wish Liberty U. great success with its petition.
I must say those folks walk the walk as well as talking the talk.
John Roberts will rule that mandating payment for abortions is OK as long as it is considered a tax.
Praying.
This is about religion and freedom of religion — not constitutionality.
Proof?? of this accusation??
Since they have declared it a tax, they will just have to say that it must be paid by everyone, religious or not.
SCOTUS is part of government, and it knows where the butter on its bread comes from.
John Roberts will SCREW us again . . .
FUJR
And he'll call it prenatal euthanasia.
“The only good reason for SCOTUS to send this case back to the Fourth Circuit is if SCOTUS will ultimately hear this case. Otherwise, it’s just wasting everyone’s time.”
They wasted everyone’s time with their last case? This court is incoherent with Robert’s at the helm and the progressive wing using their sway.
Maybe Kagan is throwing Roberts some her yoohoo to pull him along?
I apologize if that created a visual for anyone.
If Liberty University wins, there is a good chance that Obama will get to appoint a new SCOTUS member and "revisit" the decision.
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Good people have to try, even if success doesn't look likely or even possible. IMHO mass civil disobedience may be what is needed. Individuals, states, counties, etc.
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