CFN
Gazette staff
 Let the harumphing begin! Oklahoma's Republican leaders are weighing in on the U.S. Supreme Court's 5-4 ruling today upholding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. And — prepare to be shocked — they're not happy about it.

News
Clifton Adcock
The U.S. Supreme Court ruling last week upholding the federal Affordable Care Act prompted no small amount of frustration from Oklahoma government and business leaders opposed to President Barack Obama’s signature program.

Letters to the Editor
Brandon Wertz
The conservative response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on Obamacare featured in Chicken-Fried News’ “Harumph, harumph, harumph” (June 28, okgazette.com) is a string of some of the most rhetorical and hyperbolic comments I’ve ever read.

Commentary

For the nearly 700,000 Oklahomans currently without health insurance coverage, the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent landmark ruling upholding the bulk of the Affordable Care Act offers hope. The court did, however, strike down one key component of the law by making the expansion of Medicaid, the shared federal-state health insurance program for the poor, optional rather than mandatory.

News
Mark Beutler
Oklahoma consistently ranks at the top of the “worst states” list when it comes to health-related issues.

Letters to the Editor
D.W. Tiffee
David Blatt (Commentary, “Oklahoma and Medicaid Expansion,” July 18, Oklahoma Gazette) makes some important points about the benefits of expanding Medicaid under Obamacare, but neglects to mention the astonishing profit of the plan to the state and taxpayers.

Commentary
Craig W. Jones
Many people know that Medicaid was passed alongside Medicare as part of the 1965 Social Security Act. But I would wager that very few Oklahomans know that Oklahoma was one of only six states to be the first to participate in Medicaid when it launched in 1966. Oklahoma was the only Southern state among those six. Another 27 states signed on later that year, 11 more in 1967, and another eight states (all Southern) in 1970. Seems the new social program at the time was a bit controversial.

CFN
Gazette staff
As The Washington Post mused recently, we Oklahomans are a rebellious lot who like to go against the grain, and likely will fight snaggletoothed and nail against signing up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.

Commentary
Mike Brake
Absent a resounding Republican victory this fall, liberals will get their big wish when Obamacare begins taking effect early in 2013. Under the “be careful what you wish for” rubric, it may be useful to look ahead. What can Oklahomans expect from Obamacare?

Letters to the Editor
James Henry
Mike Brake (Commentary, “Disaster is ahead for Obamacare,” Gazette, Aug. 8) really should do a little research on what liberals want, if he really thinks the Affordable Care Act is “their big wish.”