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Republican Congressman Calls Obamacare Ruling ‘One Of The Worst Decisions In Supreme Court History’

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Minutes after the Supreme Court announced its 5–4 decision upholding the landmark Obamacare law, Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA) told ThinkProgress that “this is one of the worst decisions in Supreme Court history.”

KEYES: Do you think this is one of the worst decisions ever?

GINGREY: I think this is one of the worst decisions in Supreme Court history. I still respect the Supreme Court justices, I’m just disappointed bitterly and vehemently disagree with the decision, just like I was in 1973 when Chief Justice Warren Burger sided with the majority on that bone-headed ruling to destroy human life.

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There have been a number of awful decisions in Supreme Court history, including the Dred Scott ruling that protected slavery and the Plessy case legalizing racial discrimination. To Gingrey, today’s decision ensuring tens of millions of Americans have access to health care is apparently on par with these rulings.

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Earlier this month, Gingrey — an obstetrician-gynecologist who serves as the co-chair of the GOP Doctors Caucus — supported the continuation of the young-adult provision of Obamacare should the bill be struck down, calling it “a good policy.” He also promised to pass individual bills geared towards reducing health costs and preserving coverage for people with pre-existing medical conditions.

In theory, Gingrey should be glad that a law that helps young adults get health insurance, reduces health costs and protects people with pre-existing conditions was upheld today. In reality, he and his Republican colleagues are so vehemently opposed to anything President Obama does that he genuinely believes the ruling could be one of the “worst” ever.

Steven Perlberg contributed to this report.