Pirate's Cove

Big breaking news on a ruling that has been pending for a couple weeks

(CNN) The battle over Obamacare took a dramatic turn Tuesday with a federal appeals court rejecting subsidies paid by the government to millions of new enrollees.

In a 2-1 ruling, a three-judge panel found the federal money that helped people afford health insurance only could go to those who signed up through exchanges run by states.

That’s what the law specified, the ruling said, meaning those who signed up through the federal government aren’t eligible for the subsidies that helped them afford coverage.

Only 16 states and the District of Columbia set up their own exchanges, meaning that most of the millions who signed up for subsidized health coverage overall under Obamacare could be affected.

Obviously, Team Obama will fight this, so it is surely headed to the Supreme Court. However, in the meantime, until all the legal battles play out, the subsidies will continue to be available to those who have obtained insurance through the federal exchanges.

Allahpundit notes

Plain and simple, if Congress wants to rewrite the law to extend subsidies to federal enrollees, they’re welcome to do it. That’s what legislatures are for. But the law, as written, says what it says, and that’s not the court’s problem.

He also points to an article by  Michael Cannon, which takes the position that this ruling means that the individual mandate would not apply in states without their own exchanges.

https://twitter.com/KevinWGlass/statuses/491590413388873728

Democrats have no one but themselves to blame for refusing to, you know, read the fricking bill.

• The New York Times is virtually apoplectic over this. Same with the Washington Post.
• Soros funded Think Progress goes with the uber-scary headline BREAKING: Two Republican Judges Order Obamacare Defunded. If only that was so.
• The Jawa Report felt a disturbance in the force, with many liberals crying out.
• Alan Colmes whines, and says this is about the right playing politics. Or, you know, following the law.
• The  Strata-Sphere discusses.
• The Independent Sentinel notes that this ruling bodes well for the 3 other similar lawsuits.
• Say Anything wonders if this guts Ocare
• White House Dossier says the court is choosing a possible casket for Ocare

I wonder if this ruling will get Obama to cancel a fundraiser? Na, but he will certainly give a passionate speech during the fundraisers, more passion than he gave for the civilian airliner shot down in the Ukraine.

More: I truly love how so many liberals are whining about “activist judges”, that the 2 judges are Republican appointees, that it was simply a typo, and how people can now blame Republicans.