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Thursday, May 23, 2013
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Debate goes on

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After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that President Barack Obama’s health care law was constitutional, it would seem the matter was settled and the law could go forward.

Indeed a new poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation showed that 56 percent of Americans prefer that critics of the Affordable Care Act stop trying to block it and shift to other national issues.

Kaiser reports: “Democrats overwhelmingly say opponents should move on to other issues (82 percent), as do half (51 percent) of independents and a quarter (26 percent) of Republicans.”

But there is another side to the poll. “Seven in 10 Republicans (69 percent) say they want to see efforts to stop the law continue, a view shared by 41 percent of independents and 14 percent of Democrats.”

And a recent USA Today/Gallup poll found that supporters and critics of the Supreme Court decision evenly split, 46 percent to 46 percent.

Though lauded by the law’s supporters, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts continues to draw strong disapproval from its opponents for his reasoning that the law’s penalty on citizens who fail to buy health insurance should be regarded as a tax.

Republicans have vowed to repeal the measure, constitutional or not. Their quest to defeat President Obama and send Mitt Romney to the White House has intensified, as has the health care issue itself.

Yet Republicans have sought to combat the law on grounds that it is a massive tax increase. They were surprised to hear that Mr. Romney does not agree that the law’s penalty is a tax.

The debate continues.

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