The Supreme Court has just upheld the Affordable Care act, “Obamacare.”  Switching back and forth between MSNBC and FOX NEWS is especially entertaining today.  While both are still trying to pore over the decision, and process what all of the details mean, these two competing cable news outlets are broadcasting profoundly different messages.  As far as the facts apply to who said what, and why, they are in agreement.  But when it comes to what it means, the two outlets are fascinatingly different.

FOX is currently pointing to a dropping DOW index, and “plummeting” prices for oil, silver, and gold on the commodities market as an indication that this new “tax” is creating instability in the “fragile recovery.”  FOX also seems to be highlighting Justice Kennedy’s total rejection of the Affordable Care act.  

MSNBC seems to be focusing on whether or not the law goes forward now.  The answer, so far, is a measured “yes.”  The descriptors on MSNBC are “great”, “ground breaking”, and “defining moment”.  FOX is using terms like “confusing”, “rising taxes”, “additional taxes” , “difficult”, and “huge.”  

Watching this event in this long running issue be spun is nothing short of astounding.  The conservatives appear to be positively dyspeptic.  The liberals appear to be trying not to dance on screen.  Melissa Harris-Perry described herself as, “a little giddy” as she explained the lack of challenge to the commerce clause.  The professor explained that this allows certain aspects of the Civil Rights Act to remain intact as well.  A placard on the podium for Gov. Romney was just shown to say “Repeal and Replace.”  That is apparently where this will pivot in the race for the White House.  

Today the New York Times revealed that JP Morgan’s loss in their recent credit default swap boondoggle, which had previously been speculated to be between 2 and 3 billion, now be as much as 9 billion.  This, I considered to the Obama’s “October Surprise” come early.  With that comes this decision with the Chief Justice ruling in agreement with the liberal wing of the court.  Roberts who had been a hope and a champion for the Tea Party set has now sewn “confusion” to this group.   

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