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Young Voters Speak Out: Each day, RR.com will spotlight politically minded youth writers from throughout the U.S. speaking their minds on Election 2012. First-time voters, student journalists and new graduates will debate the Obama vs. Romney race to the White House. Young Democrats, Republicans and ‘Undecided’ Americans are eager to play politics and choose the next Commander & Chief.
Read K. Heidi Smucker's thoughts from a moderate perspective:
From the Ashes
The constitutional debate over Obamacare may seem like old news, but as with any contentious political issue, the debate is never actually over. The Obama administration won their battle with the court but from the rubble a new fight has emerged.
The Timing Debate
Governors from red states are now pointing to the states-rights clause that allows them to pick and choose what they want to adopt from the legislation and what they'd rather leave behind by 2017. Only for some the option to choose is too far away and therefore the timing for the opt-out amendment has become a fight.
Scott Brown Wants to Just say No
At the heart of this new battle is everyone's favorite centerfold, Junior Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts. He is now the champion (read co-sponsor) of the Empowering States to Innovate Act. This new piece of legislation would allow states to say thanks but no thanks to certain requirements in the Affordable Care Act by 2014 rather than 2017. The opt-out option is part of the White House's strategy for appealing to conservative governors and actually getting Obamacare ready for implementation.
Playing Both Sides
The real question here is whose side is Senator Brown on? As with most of his decisions during his time in Congress, it could go either way. On one side, he's helping red states say no to some of the more important parts of Obamacare, like the expansion of Medicaid, much sooner. On the other side, the White House actually supports the bill. Back in February Obama agreed with Mitt Romney stating that states should be able to shape their own health care solutions.
Will the Real Scott Brown Stand Up?
Perhaps the White House is simply throwing their support behind the act to spin it their way come November. Or maybe Scott Brown is throwing them a bone in order to reestablish himself as a moderate to aid his own reelection campaign in the fall. Either way, Scott Brown remains the elusive Republican, keeping us all unsure of what side of the aisle he's really on.
