Obama administration heeds judges' health care order - CNN.com

Obama administration heeds judges' health care order - CNN.com:


The Justice Department obeyed a federal appeals court's unusual order Thursday in a legal and political spat over the health care law championed by President Barack Obama. Administration lawyers met their deadline and filed a three-page, single-spaced letter -- following the specific instructions of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which is hearing a challenge to the health care law. The letter affirmed the government's stance that federal courts indeed have the authority to decide the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act -- and any other law Congress passes. "The power of the courts to review the constitutionality of legislation is beyond dispute," said the letter, signed by Attorney General Eric Holder.


It added that the Justice Department "has not in this litigation, nor in any other litigation of which I am aware, ever asked this or any other court to reconsider or limit long-established precedent concerning judicial review of the constitutionality of federal legislation." Referring to comments by Obama that set off the imbroglio, the letter concluded: "The President's remarks were fully consistent with the principles described herein."

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Chicago Cubs Opening Day 2012 at Wrigley | VIDEO Baseball is back in Chicago as the Cubs begin their 2012 season with their home opener Thursday. Trial begins for Hudson murder suspect | VIDEO Jury selection began Thursday for a man charged with murdering three members of Jennifer Hudson's family. 2 charged in chase, crash that injured 4 Two people have been charged after two children were hurt in a police chase and crash near 89th Street and Ashland. Ill. top court allows suit vs. assault weapon ban Gun rights advocates scored a victory Thursday when the Illinois Supreme Court decided to allow a challenge to Cook County's assault weapons ban to proceed. Woman severely burned after smoking in bed with oxygen tank A 60-year-old woman is in the hospital with severe burns after smoking in her bed while using an oxygen tank. Chicago to open tourism offices in Brazil, Germany, Japan | VIDEO The city has a new plan to help Chicago become one of the top five U.S. destinations for international visitors. MORE STORIES Strange News Flying car, The Transition, priced at $280,000 Delta flight attendant helps deliver baby | VIDEO Ohioan finds check from storm-torn Indiana town Investigators: Tennessee judge high on pills in court NY police find stolen truck as it's being buried Consumer Chicago's Cut Steakhouse makes Top 10 list Paramount to offer movies for rent on YouTube Consumer Reports: Saving on Groceries Chrysler sales rise; big month seen for industry CTA Park n Rides allow phone payments Healthbeat Group: Many routine medical tests unnecessary | VIDEO Studies offer clues about genetic factors linked to autism Narcissists may have advantage in job interviews Goggles used on MRI to avoid sedation Leafy greens might help fight breast cancer MOST POPULAR Chicago Cubs Opening Day 2012 at Wrigley Trial begins for Hudson murder suspect 2 charged in chase, crash that injured 4 5 ex-cops sentenced in Katrina killings case Obama meets with Arafat's successor All Most Popular

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Thursday, April 5, 2012 Arianna Huffington: Time to Take Afghanistan Off the Campaign 2012 Back Burner Arianna Huffington: You'd think a ten-and-a-half year war would be a major issue in a presidential campaign -- especially a war going as badly as the one in Afghanistan. But our political and media establishments seem to regard being in a constant state of war as simply part of the "new normal" (to go along with over 8 percent unemployment). The first rule of military action should be: do no harm to your own national security. But right now we are doing a lot of harm, losing hearts and minds every day and making our country ultimately less safe as a result. "War is destructive of the human spirit," military scholar Andrew Bacevich said recently. "War compromises our humanity." This one is now compromising our humanity, our national security, our standing in the world, and our claim to the moral high ground. POLITICS President Obama Locks Horns With Chief Justice Roberts POLITICS Santorum's Poll Tumble Puts Romney Ahead In Pennsylvania POLITICS Live Video Q&A: Sandra Fluke Sits Down With HuffPost MEDIA Current TV Could Get Kicked Off Time Warner WORLD Syrian Troops Launch Assaults On Several Towns BLOG POSTS Chris Mooney: Stephen Colbert, Scientific Pioneer Truthiness is the quality of knowing something in your gut or your heart, as opposed to in your head. Colbert didn't just diagnose a deep malady in American political discourse. He also used phrases that anticipated research results on the differences between liberals and conservatives. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand: Reforming Washington & Restoring Our Faith in Congress If we are going to restore the trust the American people have in Congress and rebuild their faith in government, increasing transparency and accountability in many aspects of how Washington does business is imperative. The STOCK Act is just a start. Greta Van Susteren: First the President Is a Bully... and Now the Judiciary -- Here Is My Free Advice to AG Holder What President Obama did two days ago when he bullied the Supreme Court and called them "unelected" and essentially threatened them was wrong. It also made him look like a fool. He was certainly not acting like a leader but a schoolyard bully who wants his way at any cost. Gary Burr: Second Acts: Once Again...Why Am I Doing This? That was a time when it felt like I would write a song on Monday, it was cut on Wednesday and by Friday it was on the radio. I liked those days very much. Very much indeed. Nothing stays the same. Dr. Michael J. Breus: Sleepless in the City Real Age has just published its ranking of the best and worst cities for sleep in the U.S., part of its "2012 Oldest and Youngest Cities" report.

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Will Bankers' New Super PAC Target Elizabeth Warren?

HOME POLITICS NATIONAL NEWS WORLD ECONOMY SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT Joe Conason Carl Hiaasen Connie Schultz E.J. Dionne Gene Lyons Jonathan Alter April 05, 2012 THE BIG STORY, BY JOE CONASON To Win Nomination, Did Romney Erase His Only Credential? Mitt Romney raised eyebrows by delivering a speech on Wednesday suggesting that President Obama is an unreliable figure, devoid of principle, program, and purpose. "He wants us to re-elect him," the presumed GOP nominee practically sneered, "so we can find out what he will actually do." Someone clearly advised him that an audacious attack could distract voters from his own opportunistic gyrations while creating a new, resolute self-portrait. But as a nominee who spent the primary season erasing his own political record, Romney may have eliminated any positive rationale for his candidacy. After disowning the most important programs and positions he advocated as Massachusetts governor, what can he present as his qualifications for the presidency? Please don't say Bain Capital. America is in no mood to elevate a ruthless private equity mega-millionaire into the Oval Office. READ MORE THE GREEDIEST CASES Bankers Form Super PAC For "Surgical" Strike At... Elizabeth Warren? Frustrated that they occasionally don't get exactly what they want from Congress, big bankers have formed a Super PAC -- innocuously titled "Friends of Traditional Banking" -- to reward political allies and punish enemies. READ MORE FEATURED COLUMN: E.J. DIONNE An Easter Wish: Stop Misusing Religion To Ruin Politics Even in the Easter season, it's hard not to notice that Christianity hasn't been presented in its own best light during this election year because Christians have not exactly been putting forward their best selves. There are right and wrong ways to apply religion to politics, and much that's happening now involves the wrong ways. READ MORE WAR AND PEACE Justice, Interrupted: 9/11 Trial To Resume At Guantanamo The Pentagon said Wednesday it is ready to resume a trial at Guantanamo Bay for the acknowledged mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks and four other men, more than two years after President Barack Obama halted the case in an ultimately failed effort to prosecute them in a civilian court. READ MORE ANOTHER NEW LOW Fox News Anchor: Did Obama Campaign Threaten To Kill Chelsea Clinton? Fox News anchor Heather Childers -- who does straight news ("fair and balanced") programs on weekends -- sparked a controversy on Tuesday afternoon, when she suggested on Twitter that President Obama's campaign threatened to murder Chelsea Clinton to keep her parents quiet about Obama's alleged foreign birth. Seriously. READ MORE FEATURED COLUMN: JIM HIGHTOWER The ROBS Act Hallelujah, Washington has finally heard the people's cries for jobs! In an urgent bipartisan push, Democrats and Republicans have joined hands across the aisle to pass the JOBS Act. In this time of "The Great Hurt" -- with widespread unemployment, middle-class incomes tumbling and the price of gasoline skyrocketing -- we can all applaud our stalwarts in the capital city for meeting the No. 1 need of America's hard-hit economy: deregulating Wall Street. Huh? I thought this was a jobs bill? READ MORE CARTOON OF THE DAY   (c) 2012 Eastern Harbor Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 28 West 27th Street, Suite 502 New York, NY 10001