This ruling goes further than the previous Virginia ruling. Judge Vinson declared the entire Obamacare bill unconstitutional because the individual mandate portion is not severable from the rest of the law.
Third, Judge Vinson granted the plaintiffs “declaratory relief,” the functional equivalent of an injunction, freeing them from the burden of compliance. From the Wall Street Journal:
Meanwhile, Republicans are drafting a series of bills targeting particularly unpopular pieces of the law, include its requirement that larger employers provide coverage or pay a fee. And they’re laying plans to choke off funding to hire federal workers to enact the law.
More broadly, Monday’s decision sharpens the battle lines over the broader issue of whether the federal government can require Americans to purchase something solely because they are living on U.S. soil.
The Department of Justice said it would appeal the ruling.
This is great news for everyone who believes in the rule of law. It also points out how critical it is that we regain control of the U.S. Senate before one of the Supreme Court’s conservatives leaves the bench. The 5-4 balance of power currently favors (slightly) the rule of law. Any vacancies will be filled by an Obama appointee who would effectively overturn the idea of limited government.
For now, though, share this great news with friends: ObamaCare is unconstitutional. And a federal judge said so.
Meanwhile, Gateway Pundit reports that the Obama administration has come unhinged over the ruling. Michelle Malkin has the full ruling. Relive the healthcare battles on stlouisteaparty.com. Brooks Bayne has more on The Graph.