US Supreme Court Takes Up Obama Health Care Law

 　　One of the most closely-watched U.S. Supreme¹ Court cases in years began Monday as oral arguments got under way in a legal challenge to President Barack Obama’s health care law - the signature achievement of his presidency² so far. Analysts³ say the outcome of the case likely will affect this year’s presidential election as well as the scope and cost of health care coverage⁴ in the United States for decades to come.

　　The health care case drew scores of demonstrators to the Supreme Court steps, both in favor of and opposed to the law.

　　An opponent of U.S. President Barack Obama's healthcare law holds a copy of the nation's Constitution during the first day of legal arguments over the Affordable⁵ Care Act at the Supreme Court in Washington, March 26, 2012

　　At times, impromptu⁶ debates broke out between the two sides, but the scene remained civil and peaceful.

　　Ed Hale is among those supporting the health care reform act. He said "it is unfortunate it was passed during the 'great recession.'"

　　"It puts people in a foul⁷ mood. "But there is a 100-year struggle to pass this sort of law, and it is time to do it. It is time to join the rest of the world.”

　　A woman named Daveta, wearing a union T-shirt, also supports the law because it extends health care coverage to millions of people who cannot afford health insurance.

　　“Because we all need health care. And you know, it is not so much those that have it, but those who don’t have it, Daveta said. "I’m out here because I got it and it’s good but I’m [also] out here for those who don’t have it.”

　　But there were plenty of protestors against the law, including Ken⁸ Campbell, a California dentist. He objects to a part of the law that requires everyone to buy some form of health insurance coverage by 2014 or face a penalty.“

　　These bureaucrats⁹ in Washington, they do not know the name of my family," said Campbell. "They do not know the names of my kids. They do not need to be telling my family what I need to buy and what I need to do.  They need to get out of my life.”

　　Campbell is active in a Tea Party group, as is Amy Brighton, another opponent of the Obama law from Ohio.

　　“This bill is unconstitutional as it stands. We are not against health care reform," Brighton said. "We are just against this current law.”

　　The Supreme Court of the United States will hear 5 1/2 hours of oral arguments over three days, an unprecedented¹⁰ amount of time devoted¹¹ to a single case.

　　Supporters say the health care law will expand coverage to millions of uninsured Americans and lower health care costs in the long-term. Opponents say health care costs will soar under the law and that the quality of care will suffer.

　　At the heart of the case is whether a majority of the nine justices on the high court will side with the Obama administration and uphold the law or take the view of opponents who argue that it is an unconstitutional intrusion of the central government into the lives of American citizens.

　　How the court rules by the end of June could have a major impact on this year’s U.S. presidential election.

　　Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum took the unusual step of speaking to reporters in front of the Supreme Court to repeat a pledge that he will repeal¹² the law if he is elected president. “If we run this campaign, which I will, on 'Obamacare' and we make this the central issue in the campaign and we are successful, there is no doubt that 'Obamacare' will be repealed¹³ in one form or another," Santorum said.

　　Lower courts have had split decisions on legal challenges to the law, prompting the Supreme Court to take up the case and make a final judgment¹⁴.

　　Public opinion surveys show that Americans remain sharply divided over the health care law - two years after its passage by Democrats¹⁵ in Congress.

　　Opposition¹⁶ to the law gave birth to the conservative and libertarian Tea Party movement, which, in turn, helped Republicans retake control of the House of Representatives in the 2010 congressional elections.

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

3 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

4 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

5 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

6 impromptu   

adj.即席的，即兴的；adv.即兴的(地)，无准备的(地)

参考例句：

• The announcement was made in an impromptu press conference at the airport.这一宣布是在机场举行的临时新闻发布会上作出的。
• The children put on an impromptu concert for the visitors.孩子们为来访者即兴献上了一场音乐会。

7 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

8 ken   

n.视野，知识领域

参考例句：

• Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
• Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

9 bureaucrats   

n.官僚( bureaucrat的名词复数 )；官僚主义；官僚主义者；官僚语言

参考例句：

• That is the fate of the bureaucrats, not the inspiration of statesmen. 那是官僚主义者的命运，而不是政治家的灵感。 来自辞典例句
• Big business and dozens of anonymous bureaucrats have as much power as Japan's top elected leaders. 大企业和许多不知名的官僚同日本选举出来的最高层领导者们的权力一样大。 来自辞典例句

10 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

11 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

12 repeal   

n.废止，撤消；v.废止，撤消

参考例句：

• He plans to repeal a number of current policies.他计划废除一些当前的政策。
• He has made out a strong case for the repeal of the law.他提出强有力的理由，赞成废除该法令。

13 repealed   

撤销，废除( repeal的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The Labour Party repealed the Act. 工党废除了那项法令。
• The legislature repealed the unpopular Rent Act. 立法机关废除了不得人心的租借法案。

14 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

15 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。