Local, state politicians react to health care decision [The Bradenton Herald, Fla.]

June 28--U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan on Thursday said that despite the Supreme Court's upholding of President Barack Obama's health care law, the legislation "remains unworkable and unaffordable."

"Congress must work in a bipartisan manner to repeal and replace the health care law with common-sense reforms that lower the cost of health insurance and ensure that the American people can go to the doctor of their choice," Buchanan, R-Sarasota, said in a news release.

The Supreme Court upheld the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in a 5-4 decision delivered by Chief Justice John Roberts.

"There is no question we need to reform our health care system that now consumes almost 20 percent of our national economic output," Buchanan said. "However, we need to do so under a system that does not drive-up health care costs, increase taxes on small businesses, stifle job creation, or jeopardize future benefits for seniors."

Buchanan said the health care law raises taxes by $570 billion, cuts future Medicare spending by $500 billion, and will lead to 800,000 fewer jobs over the next decade. Since President Obama took office in 2008, health care premiums have increased for American families by an average of $2,200, according to Buchanan.

Castor supports ruling

Manatee's other member of Congress, Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, endorsed the Supreme Court's decision.

"The Supreme Court decision is a welcome relief to families and businesses across America, and especially to Floridians," Castor said in a statement. "Our fight to lower health care costs for middle-class families and families with health insurance remains on track. Vital consumer protections remain intact as does greater accountability for the insurance industry. Medicare is improved and is stronger."

Rubio: Decision is 'a loss for America'

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio told CNN on Thursday that the court ruling on health care reform is "a loss for America." He conceded that the Supreme Court's role wasn't to determine if it was a good idea, rather if it was constitutional.

But because it's constitutional, he said, "millions of Americans may now have an IRS problem because of this ruling."

He also suggested that becuase there will be differences between the states, "if you don't like the policies of a state you could easily go to another state."

He suggested "this has turned the IRS into an enforcement mechanism for Obamacare."

Rubio also told CNN that because this is now considered a tax, it is a broken promise by President Obama, who said he wasn't going to raise taxes on the middle class.

"This law is the culmination of a series of broken promises," he said. "Just wait until Americans start realizing they have to prove to the IRS that they have health insurance or they are going to get hit with an IRS fine?you're going to see those numbers move really quick."

"A tax penalty enforced by the IRS?is not good for our economy," he said. "We desparately do need to confront the health insurance problem in America. This is just the wrong way to do it."

Gov. Scott: Decision is 'disappointing'

Gov. Rick Scott issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Supreme Court ruling:

"Today's decision by the Supreme Court of the United States is simply disappointing.

"The tax question was repeatedly refuted by members of Congress who helped pass this health care takeover. The Justices have declared that the central provision of ObamaCare is a judicially mandated tax. A new tax pure and simple. This is just another burden the federal government has put on American families and small businesses.

"With the national economy struggling to recover, now is not the time to implement a massive social program that injects nothing but uncertainty and doubt into our economic system. By doing so, they have put up yet another major roadblock to efforts to get people back to work and forced the government into the important relationship between patients and their doctors.

"I stand with Justice Kennedy that the entire act should have been held invalid."

McClatchy Newspapers and Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau contributed to this report.

___

(c)2012 The Bradenton Herald (Bradenton, Fla.)

Visit The Bradenton Herald (Bradenton, Fla.) at www.bradenton.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services