QUOTES: Local Reaction to the Supreme Court Ruling on Obamacare

Once news broke that the , Hudson-area folks and state politicians started issuing statements and leaving comments. Here are some of them:

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Diane Odeen, Democratic candidate for State Assembly

"The Supreme Court's 193-page ruling on the Affordable Health Care Act will take some time to fully analyze.  But the Supreme Court has made it clear that Congress has the power to create a system that gives access to meaningful health care insurance options and ensures coverage to those who need it most. The Supreme Court also approved the expansion of Medicaid to cover additional low-income citizens. I hope Governor Walker will accept the additional federal Medicaid funding to help people here in Wisconsin."

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Jesse Garza, Chairman of the St. Croix County Republican Party

"ACA will be the President's albatross. This is a very unpopular law and now it is ruled as a tax on the middle class and business across St. Croix County, Wisconsin, and America. My phone has been ringing off the hook since the ruling came out from people I have not met wanting to help make Obama a one-term president."

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Pat Kreitlow, Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress (WI-7)

“Talking with Wisconsin families who are worried about the cost of health care and The Affordable Care Act’s impact on government spending, it’s clear that this law and the decision upholding it was an important step, but there are a lot of changes that need to be made before we can have true reform.  

“As we go forward, let's not forget what the health care issue is all about.  Families and small business owners cannot afford to go back to a system where abuses by private insurance companies create higher medical bills and hurt local job creation. We need folks in Washington who are willing to overcome partisan differences to take on the real challenge of exploding health care costs families face without returning to a system that enabled insurance company abuses against our children and without creating a system that unduly hurts jobs and adds to the deficit.

“I understand what middle class families and small businesses in Northern and Central Wisconsin are going through, and I will make sure that their voices – not those of insurance or pharmaceutical special interests – are what guide choices going forward.  A healthy economy depends on healthy families and reducing costs for healthy outcomes.”

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Tommy Thompson, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate; former Wisconsin governor

"My first vote as a US Senator will be for the full repeal of Obamacare. I will use every measure available to block any vote in the next term of the Senate until a full Obamacare repeal vote is taken. But that is not enough. I also have the ideas and experience to actually bring down health costs and increase availability, which is something nobody else in the race offers. That vote will only succeed if Wisconsin elects a Republican Senator.

"Furthermore, I would work with Governor Walker to make sure Obamacare is derailed in Wisconsin. We deserve better than a cost-increasing, choice-limiting political fix for a broken health care system.

"Tammy Baldwin's number one priority just became the relentless defense of Obamacare - and her willingness to unleash IRS agents onto the American people to enforce this unjust tax.  

"What should frighten every Wisconsin voter is Tammy Baldwin's continued desire and support for even more government control over our lives and health care decisions. The road to repeal goes through Wisconsin, and I am by far the best person to defeat Tammy Baldwin and deliver this critical victory for Republicans."

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Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Republican

"I continue to oppose ObamaCare.

"One of my first acts as Governor was to authorize Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen to add Wisconsin to the federal lawsuit opposing ObamaCare.

"Wisconsin will not take any action to implement ObamaCare.  I am hopeful that political changes in Washington D.C. later this year ultimately end the implementation of this law at the federal level. 

"If there is no political remedy from Washington and the law moves forward, it would require the majority of people in Wisconsin to pay more money for less healthcare.  Additionally, it would increase the size and cost of government, decrease the quality of healthcare and, in our state, reduce access for those truly in need of assistance.

"The federal government should not tell individuals and families what to do with healthcare.  The alternative is more transparency and a more active role by consumers, so we can truly control costs." 

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Mary Brainerd, President and CEO of HealthPartners
( is a HealthPartners facility)

“The Supreme Court decision to uphold the requirement that individuals have health insurance makes sense. Without that requirement, health care and health insurance would be less affordable for everyone because many wouldn’t buy insurance until they were already ill or needed coverage.

“But adjustments in the law are still needed to make sure that coverage is affordable. In the current law, individuals and small employers will pay for more of the costs, and we are concerned about that. We also want individuals and families to have choices about the coverage that works best for their needs. Congressional action is needed to make important improvements to ensure affordability and choice.

“HealthPartners is committed to providing affordable health care and coverage for all and we have not waited for reform. We have worked to change how care is delivered and have worked to achieve high-quality, affordable health care and an exceptional experience for everyone.”

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Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota

“Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota will continue the work we began more than two years ago of implementing the law in a manner that strives to serve the best interests of our members and all Minnesotans. 

"As the state’s leading health plan, Blue Cross and Blue Shield considers reform to be something that also happens outside of legislation. We believe the kind of systematic change needed to tackle rising health care costs and drive improvements in overall health can and is being advanced though innovative collaborations with providers, consumers, employers and other stakeholders – all of whom share our goal of creating better health solutions for the greatest number of people, and at the greatest value.”

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In addition to local influencer statements, our Facebook page blew up with comments from our user community. Here are some of those comments:

• Matthew Pevan: Not good. Definitely not good.
• Julie Thomas Schmit: I'm still in shock.
• Allison Tank: It's a sad day in America! Obamacare and Obama are terrible!
• Zach McCabe: First thought. "conservative" John Roberts was the deciding vote. Sounds to me like we actually have a justice that's trying to be constitutional and not partison. Praise God for him, playing by the rules. don't like the outcome of his decision however.
• Zach McCabe: Second thought. If you don't buy health insurance, you get fined. Can anyone tell me if the government put a cap on premiums insurance companies can charge you? If not, we're screwed. There's a reason insurance companies are silent about this 'overhaul'. It's because they're going to do very well under this plan.... at your expense.
• Tiffany Orloske Deziel: Shocked, but happy!
• Jake Wagner: So when a Republican becomes president, can he now sign a bill forcing people to buy Guns and bibles, or face a fine? This opens up a huge can of worms.
• Tammy Tollefson: YAY SCOTUS, YAY AFFORDABLE CARE ACT! Congratulations America! "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility..."
• Genie Taylor Ebertz: I am concerned about small and medium size companies... they are the ones who will not hire new employees in order to be able to afford this plan. It is already affecting lots of companies, who really are the ones who make the economy move. Has anyone noticed nobody wants to spend money?
• Jeremy Rehmus: Zach I agree with your thought on John Roberts he did his job the way he should in regards to the law it is not near perfect in trying to provide more affordable healthcare for those that cannot afford it but there are parts of the law that are very good steps in changing the system.
• Emily Pierson: At 21 years old I became un insurable unless under a group plan. I am in perfect health. Health care needed a reform! Thank You to all that made this possible!
• Kevin Whiteley: I'm very, VERY happy!
• Harold Chris Mikkelson: It is a sad day in America. Today it is health insurance, tomorrow? Each and every day we are loosing more and more freedoms, and are getting closer, and closer to becoming a socialist nation under Obama.  What a sad day.
• Rick Reams: As a small employer I am very concerned about this. I agree everyone needs access to affordable healthcare, but what about all the other non healthcare related items that were tacked on to this bill? I am concerned for my employees and the future of small businesses everywhere.
• Lori Madden: I am very happy, there are many wonderful parts to this law that keep the insurance co. Accountable to us, love being able to keep our kids on til 26, having no cap, and no denial for preexisting conditions. For anyone who may be born with a chronic illness you can't be denied now!

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What do you have to say? Tell us in the comments.