Political Quotes

“I was fortunate to be able to attend the argument before the U.S. Supreme Court on the constitutionality of the provision in the affordable care act providing that individuals should take personal responsibility for paying for their health care by obtaining health insurance or pay a fine. I have watched a lot of arguments in the Supreme Court. Obviously, as the chairman of the Judiciary Committee I pay close attention--as do all Members--to what goes on there. I heard a great deal of instant analysis from commentators after the argument, including their predictions on how the Court will rule. I didn't hear much devoted to the role of the Chief Justice of the United States. When I watched the arguments, I saw a Chief Justice that day who I thought seemed well aware of the significance of this decision. Chief Justice Roberts had not been appointed when the Court intervened in the Presidential election of 2000, but he certainly saw the reaction to that decision in Bush v. Gore, a 5-to-4 decision that the country viewed as partisan. In fact, many in the country felt that five people on the Supreme Court decided a Presidential election that was actually for the person who got less votes than the one they said lost. That decision was unprecedented. In a shocking admission, the Court itself said that it should never be considered precedent or cited in the future.…”