Braley, Lange Release Opposing Reactions to Supreme Court Health Care Ruling

Bruce Braley and Ben Lange, opponents in the race for Iowa's District 1 Congressional seat, released opposing reactions to the on the Affordable Care Act today.

Braley, a Democrat and the district's current Congressman, praised the decision. Lange, a Republican challenging him in the November election, decried the ruling.

Here are their statements:

Braley:

“The Supreme Court got it right today.  This decision is good news for the middle class and affordable healthcare.  It makes me think of thousands of Iowans like my nephew, Tucker.  Tucker survived a fight with liver cancer at age 2 because his family had health insurance.  But his parents lived in constant fear of losing their jobs because Tucker would be denied new insurance due to his pre-existing condition.  The healthcare reform law ended those fears -- and this decision means many other critical reforms will stay in place. 

From allowing 18,000 Iowans to stay on their parents’ insurance up to age 26, to requiring insurance companies cover screenings for diseases like breast cancer, to saving Iowa seniors hundreds of dollars per year on their Medicare prescription drugs, the law’s positive impact on Iowa is just beginning to be felt. 

It’s not a perfect law. That’s why I’ll be working to bring Republicans and Democrats together to improve it and make it better.

Lange:

"The issue before the Supreme Court today was not about the wisdom of Obamacare, it was about the legal foundations of our constitutional Republic and the role of federal politicians in the lives of states and individuals.

Our founders constructed the Constitution on the pillars of federalism, separation of powers, and enumerated powers in order to divide and limit the power of the federal government. Why? Because history has shown that well-meaning politicians armed with concentrated power in pursuit of desirable ends tend to trample the rights of citizens. 

Obamacare is the quintessential example. In pursuing more affordable and accessible health care, no doubt a desirable end, Congressman Bruce Braley and other federal politicians sought to establish the legal principle that the federal government can force Iowans to purchase a good or service against our will.

By upholding this legal principle today, the Supreme Court has ruled that there are no longer any meaningful limits on what federal politicians can do to the American people under the auspices of the taxing power. Individual and states' rights have been permanently compromised in our constitutional system.  

While I disagree with the legal conclusion of the Supreme Court, I respect their judgment.  

Chief Justice Roberts is correct in stating: "Members of this Court are vested with the authority to interpret the law; we possess neither the expertise nor the prerogative to make policy judgments. Those decisions are entrusted to our Nation's elected leaders, who can be thrown out of office if the people disagree with them. It is not our job to protect the people from the consequences of their political choices."  

Iowans now have only one option for taking back control of their most intimate health care decisions from divisive federal politicians and bureaucrats: Iowans must vote out politicians like Congressman Bruce Braley in November. 

What do you think of the ruling? Will it influence how you vote? Tell us in the comments.