US Supreme Court Questions Obama Health Care Law

 　　President Barack Obama’s signature health care law appeared to be in legal jeopardy¹ Tuesday, following oral arguments before the Supreme² Court of the United States over whether the law is constitutional. The case now before the high court represents a major legal and political showdown over health care reform that the president signed into law two years ago despite strong objections from opposition³ Republicans.

　　In the second of three days of oral arguments before the Supreme Court, the nine justices considered a key part of the health care law known as the individual mandate⁴.

　　The mandate requires all Americans to buy health insurance, beginning in 2014 or face a penalty. Supporters say the mandate is necessary to spread the costs of covering millions of previously⁵ uninsured citizens. Opponents regard the mandate an unconstitutional overreach by the federal government.

　　During Tuesday’s oral arguments, conservative-leaning justices on the high court seemed skeptical⁶ that the individual mandate should be allowed under the U.S. Constitution.

　　Justice Antonin Scalia is one of the high court’s leading conservative thinkers.

　　“The federal government is not supposed to be a government that has all powers, that it is supposed to be a government of limited powers and that is what all this questioning is about," he said. "What is left? If the government can do this, what else can it not do?”

　　Scalia is one of four justices on the nine-member court who consistently take conservative positions.

　　Four other justices, all appointed by Democratic presidents, have a more liberal voting record. They generally were more open to the idea that the health care law is constitutional.

　　Among them is Justice Stephen Breyer.

　　“It shows there is a national problem and it shows there is a national problem that involves money, cost and insurance,” said Breyer.

　　The key vote in many Supreme Court cases is often cast by Justice Anthony Kennedy, who often is referred to as the "swing justice" by legal experts who follow the Supreme Court.

　　Kennedy also seemed skeptical about the power of Congress to compel everyone to buy health insurance.

　　“When you are changing the relation of the individual to the government in this what we can stipulate⁷ is, I think, a unique way, do you not have a heavy burden of justification⁸ to show authorization⁹ under the Constitution?” he said.

　　As the oral arguments continued before the high court, demonstrators on both sides of the issue marched outside the court for a second day.

　　The case is being closely watched by members of Congress. Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, is among those hoping that the high court will strike down the Obama health care law.

　　“We are hopeful that the Supreme Court will see it the way we do and that this law violates simple and basic constitutional principles,” said Rubio.

　　Democratic Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa says millions of Americans in need of health insurance will lose out if the health care law is struck down.

　　“Whether or not we are going to let the Republicans take away from the American people all of these hard-earned, hard-won gains in their own health care system,” said Harkin.

　　The health care law has been controversial from the beginning. The law passed Congress two years ago, supported only by Democrats¹⁰. And public opinion surveys show the country remains¹¹ sharply divided over the issue.

　　The Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling on the constitutionality of the health care law sometime before the end of June, and many experts say the decision will have an impact on this year’s presidential and congressional elections.

1 jeopardy   

n.危险；危难

参考例句：

• His foolish behaviour may put his whole future in jeopardy.他愚蠢的行为可能毁了他一生的前程。
• It is precisely at this juncture that the boss finds himself in double jeopardy.恰恰在这个关键时刻，上司发现自己处于进退两难的境地。

2 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。

3 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。

4 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

5 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

6 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

7 stipulate   

vt.规定，（作为条件）讲定，保证

参考例句：

• International rules stipulate the number of foreign entrants.国际规则规定了外国参赛者的人数。
• Some manufacturers stipulate the price at which their goods are to be sold.有些制造商规定出售他们生产的商品的价格。

8 justification   

n.正当的理由；辩解的理由

参考例句：

• There's no justification for dividing the company into smaller units. 没有理由把公司划分成小单位。
• In the young there is a justification for this feeling. 在年轻人中有这种感觉是有理由的。

9 authorization   

n.授权，委任状

参考例句：

• Anglers are required to obtain prior authorization from the park keeper.垂钓者必须事先得到公园管理者的许可。
• You cannot take a day off without authorization.未经批准你不得休假。

10 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》

11 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。