What 2016 Hopefuls Think of King v. Burwell Obamacare Decision
Ken McIntyre /
Most of the major candidates running for president responded quickly to the Supreme Court’s upholding of Obamacare subsidies, with Democrats generally hailing the ruling and Republicans panning it.
Within minutes of the release of the high court’s 6-3 decision in King v. Burwell, the 2016 presidential hopefuls took to Twitter to offer their opinions.
>>> Republicans in Congress Plot Next Steps after Ruling
“Yes!” exclaimed Democratic front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton, who spearheaded a failed effort to enact a health care law during her husband’s presidency.
Yes! SCOTUS affirms what we know is true in our hearts & under the law: Health insurance should be affordable & available to all. -H
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 25, 2015
Nine minutes later, Clinton followed up with a second tweet including an old photo of her as secretary of state, about to hug President Obama in the White House.
A great day! Add your name if you agree: Affordable health care is a basic human right ? http://t.co/5xR3n1XDoc pic.twitter.com/kATncnkfGq
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 25, 2015
Far from distancing herself from the president’s signature domestic policy achievement or her own bruising history with health care in the 1990s, Clinton recently launched a video promoting, among other things, her connection with the issue:
"You have to get up off the floor—and you keep fighting." Hillary on the fight for health care back in 1993: http://t.co/vedCBng2cz
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 25, 2015
Among 13 Republicans officially in the race for the White House so far, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a veteran of the 2008 presidential primaries, appeared to be the first to tweet out a reaction.
There isn't a 'do-over’ provision in our Constitution that allows unelected, SCOTUS judges power to circumvent Congress & rewrite bad laws.
— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) June 25, 2015
Within 20 minutes, Huckabee tweeted out a full statement
#ObamaCare ruling is judicial tyranny. http://t.co/Di6WjxOc3y
— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) June 25, 2015
A stream of six tweets from Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., captured a formal statement in which he described himself as “committed to repealing this bad law and replacing it with my consumer-centered plan that puts patients and families back in control of their health care decisions.”
I disagree with the Court’s ruling and believe they have once again erred in trying to correct the mistakes made by President Obama…
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) June 25, 2015
…and Congress in forcing ObamaCare on the American people.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) June 25, 2015
Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, also making his second bid for the Republican nomination, was the first to email a statement to reporters. Released in Austin at 10:30 a.m. eastern and tweeted minutes later, his reaction decried the ruling and called for repeal of the “heavy-handed, one-size-fits-all” Affordable Care Act.
Perry said:
With individual premiums up more than 50 percent and nearly 5 million people losing their health plans, Americans deserve better than what we’re getting with Obamacare. It’s time we repealed Obamacare and replaced it with truly affordable, patient centered-health care reform, and I look forward to laying out my ideas on this issue.
Statement by @GovernorPerry on SCOTUS Obamacare Decision http://t.co/CtFmOpDxsw
— Team Rick Perry (@TeamRickPerry) June 25, 2015
“Republicans must outline a clear and coherent vision for health care to win the trust of the American people to repeal Obamacare. And right now, I am the only candidate to put forward a comprehensive plan,” Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who entered the Republican race Wednesday, said in remarks emailed to reporters at 11:06 a.m.
Jindal added:
Now that the Supreme Court has ruled, the debate will grow. Conservatives must be fearless in demanding that our leaders in Washington repeal and replace Obamacare with a plan that will lower health care costs and restore freedom.
President Obama and Hillary Clinton would like this to be the end of the debate on Obamacare, but it isn’t: http://t.co/XpY9HtxFQO
— Gov. Bobby Jindal (@BobbyJindal) June 25, 2015
Several tweets from Carly Fiorina, the former Hewlett-Packard CEO who is the only woman in the GOP race, previewed her lengthy statement on Facebook.
It is outrageous that the Supreme Court once again rewrote ObamaCare to save this deeply flawed law https://t.co/NBAnohFTW7
— Carly Fiorina (@CarlyFiorina) June 25, 2015
ObamaCare has not lived up to what we were promised. It has become clear that this law isn’t workinghttp://t.co/qaAR7pNVQJ
— Carly Fiorina (@CarlyFiorina) June 25, 2015
Clinton’s strongest opponent so far in the Democratic primaries, Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, welcomed what he called a “common sense” ruling:
The Supreme Court recognized the common-sense reading of the #ACA… pic.twitter.com/AByIHoyLC2
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) June 25, 2015
Sanders soon put out a full statement:
NEWS: Sen. Bernie Sanders' statement on Supreme Court decision upholding #ACA http://t.co/AUQgEHqUsi pic.twitter.com/PjyEillVBa
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) June 25, 2015
Also on the Democratic side, former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley celebrated the defeat of what he called “an ideological attempt to stop” Obamacare.
Now that this ideological attempt to stop #ACA failed, we must redouble our efforts to bring health care to every person in this nation.
— Martin O'Malley (@MartinOMalley) June 25, 2015
Lincoln Chafee, the former Rhode Island governor and senator who entered the Democratic race three weeks ago, also welcomed the news.
SCOTUS ruling on ACA means more insured healthy Americans! I'm proud that RI had one of the nation's best rollouts. #chafee2016
— Lincoln Chafee (@LincolnChafee) June 25, 2015
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., issued a statement in Washington at 11:05 a.m. vowing that as president he would “make it my mission to repeal” the Affordable Care Act and “propose real solutions.”
“Obamacare,” Paul said, “raises taxes, harms patients and doctors, and is the wrong fix for America’s health care system.”
This tweet quickly followed:
This decision turns both the rule of law and common sense on its head. #KingvBurwell
— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) June 25, 2015
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who took to the Senate floor shortly before 1:30 p.m. to talk about the King v. Burwell ruling, campaigns for the GOP nomination while calling for repealing “every word” of Obamacare and replacing it with patient-centered reforms.
Any candidate not willing to make 2016 a referendum on Repealing Obamacare should step aside https://t.co/6i4WzLFzKR #FullRepeal
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) June 25, 2015
I remain fully committed to the repeal of Obamacare—every single word of it. And, in 2017, we will do exactly that https://t.co/6i4WzLFzKR
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) June 25, 2015
One unannounced GOP hopeful, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, focused on what he says are Obamacare’s adverse effects on many working Americans.
Today's #SCOTUScare ruling means Republicans must redouble their efforts to repeal and replace this destructive & costly law. -SKW
— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) June 25, 2015
Workers have lost hours, people have lost insurance & can no longer afford dramatic premium hikes. #SCOTUScare -SKW pic.twitter.com/dFnI8uSNDe
— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) June 25, 2015
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, another prospective Republican candidate, weighed in with two blunt tweets:
Justice Scalia is right. State means state, not the federal government.
— Chris Christie (@ChrisChristie) June 25, 2015
This decision turns common language on its head. Now leaders must turn our attention to making the case that ObamaCare must be replaced.
— Chris Christie (@ChrisChristie) June 25, 2015
Another sitting governor expected to enter the Republican race, Ohio’s John Kasich, put out a statement saying Obamacare “has driven up Ohio’s health insurance costs.”
It's time to empower states and really fix America's health care system. pic.twitter.com/TH2WMQPKT1
— John Kasich (@JohnKasich) June 25, 2015
George Pataki, a Republican making his first run for president after three terms as New York governor, had this to say:
Sadly, #SCOTUS has again stretched to save #Obamacare making plain the need to repeal & replace with a patient-centric market based plan.
— George E. Pataki (@GovernorPataki) June 25, 2015
Another former governor in the GOP race, Jeb Bush of Florida, tweeted out a link to a statement and video pledging if elected to work with Congress “to repeal and replace this flawed law with conservative reforms.”
I am disappointed in the Burwell decision, but this is not the end of the fight against ObamaCare. http://t.co/3yaEVF1TaW
— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) June 25, 2015
Rounding out the reactions from Republican 2016ers were tweets from Rick Santorum, the former senator from Pennsylvania; Ben Carson, the retired pediatric neurosurgeon; and Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina:
Today's Supreme Court ruling is another reminder that if we want to get rid of #Obamacare, we must elect a conservative President #RICK2016
— Rick Santorum (@RickSantorum) June 25, 2015
Deeply disappointed by #SCOTUS ruling. Fundamental increase of govt control. I'm working to ensure next Pres repeals and replaces #Obamacare
— Dr. Ben Carson (@RealBenCarson) June 25, 2015
Today’s decision reinforces why we need a pres who will bring real reform that repeals & replaces Obamacare MORE: http://t.co/QriBHw6zDt
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) June 25, 2015
Vice President Joe Biden, who appears increasingly disinclined to seek the Democratic nomination, remains the subject of a draft effort. After Biden appeared with Obama at the White House as the president made a celebratory statement, the vice president’s staff tweeted this:
Saving lives. Expanding access. Providing peace of mind. Health care in America is a right, not a privilege. And the #ACA is here to stay.
— Vice President Biden (@VP) June 25, 2015