Reaction to Supreme Court health care ruling

(AP) – Reaction to Supreme Court ruling that upheld most of President Barack Obama’s health care law, including the core requirement that nearly every American have health insurance:

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“I know there will be a lot of discussion today about the politics of all this _ about who won and who lost. That’s how these things tend to be viewed here in Washington. But that discussion completely misses the point. Whatever the politics, today’s decision was a victory for people all over this country whose lives will be more secure because of this law and the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold it.” _ President Barack Obama.

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“Let’s make clear that we understand what the court did and did not do. What the court did today was say that Obamacare does not violate the Constitution. What they did not do was say that Obamacare is good law or that it’s good policy. Obamacare was bad policy yesterday; it’s bad policy today. Obamacare was bad law yesterday; it’s bad law today.” _ Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

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“The president’s health care law is hurting our economy by driving up health costs and making it harder for small businesses to hire. Today’s ruling underscores the urgency of repealing this harmful law in its entirety. What Americans want is a common-sense, step-by-step approach to health care reform that will protect Americans’ access to the care they need, from the doctor they choose, at a lower cost. Republicans stand ready to work with a president who will listen to the people and will not repeat the mistakes that gave our country ObamaCare.” _ Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio.

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“I knew when (the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.) left us, he would go to heaven and help us pass this bill. … Now he can rest in peace.” _ House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

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“It’s a great moment to just think about what this will mean for the millions and millions of Americans who have already benefited from the Affordable Care Act and so many more who will continue to do so. There will be a lot of work to do to get it implemented and understand what the opinion says, but obviously, I was quite excited to hear the results.” _ Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

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“Passing the Affordable Care Act was the greatest single step in generations toward ensuring access to affordable, quality health care for every American, regardless of where they live or how much money they make.” _ Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada.

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“Americans want it repealed, and that’s precisely what we intend to do. Americans want us to start over, and today’s decision does nothing to change that. The court’s ruling doesn’t mark the end of the debate. It marks a fresh start on the road to repeal.” _ Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky.

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“What’s important to remember is that what the court rules on is whether something is constitutional or not, not whether it’s a good idea. And while the court has said that the law is constitutional, it remains a bad idea for our economy, and I hope that in the fall we will have a majority here that will not just repeal this law, but replace it with real solutions that will insure more people and cost a lot less money.” _ Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida.

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“Just because a couple people on the Supreme Court declare something to be `constitutional’ does not make it so. The whole thing remains unconstitutional. While the court may have erroneously come to the conclusion that the law is allowable, it certainly does nothing to make this mandate or government takeover of our health care right,” _ Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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