The winds of change are slow, but every once in awhile in human history those winds blow strong enough to topple obstacles and open a path to the future.
That is exactly what happened at the U.S. Supreme Court on two consecutive landmark days – June 25 and June 26. The slowly gathering winds of change reached sudden gale-force speeds, bringing historical shifts literally overnight. And there’s no turning back.
First, the Court decided on a 6-3 vote that federal subsidies for all states under the Affordable Care Act are constitutional, thus indirectly validating the legal legitimacy of the ACA (ObamaCare). It’s the second time in three years the Court gave a go-ahead nod to that law.
The next day, the Court, on a vote of 5-4, ruled that same-sex marriages must be allowed in all of the 50 states in this nation.
These are landmark decisions and – depending upon one’s point of view – rulings to be celebrated or lamented. Already, some politicians, such as Republican presidential candidates, are blasting the ACA decision, still thundering that it’s a train wreck, a disaster, a death-panel in action.
Other people are disappointed about the marriage ruling, insisting a legitimate marriage should be forevermore and until the end of time as it has been in the past – exclusively between a man and a woman. Most of those people will never change their minds about either of the Court’s decisions, in the same way many have never agreed with – and likely never will – the Court’s 1973 decision legalizing abortion.
However, like it or not, the Supreme Court has spoken. Who can argue it has not expanded the definition of “equal rights under the law?” And who can maintain seriously that expanding freedom for all human beings is not a good thing?
Just 10 years ago, efforts to reform our health-care system, to make it affordable and accessible to more people, seemed doomed. First Lady Hillary Clinton learned the hard way when her attempt to come up with health-care reform was met by vicious scorn and rejection at every turn by the big-buck boys. Five years ago, President Obama and the Congress managed to approve the ACA, and seldom has any program been met with such hatred, misinformative campaigns and outright lies. After five years of tug-of-war, in one fell swoop the ACA is now, without a doubt, the law of the land.
Ten or 20 years ago, most polls showed Americans did not favor the legalization of same-sex marriage. Passing laws in favor of it were virtually unthinkable. Gradually, there was a sea change in public opinion so now polls consistently show people – especially younger people – support equal rights, including marriage, for gays and lesbians.
Recent polls also show an increase in people who favor ObamaCare. It always takes time for people to get used to major changes. Once the noisy attacks subside, the facts manage to get through, and then it’s easier for people to see and to understand the benefits brought about by the changes.
Some politicians who have used fear-mongering around those two issues (ObamaCare, same-sex marriage) to garner votes might want to change their scripts in upcoming election campaigns. They might well find their attacks will be rendered by the winds of change either ineffective or dead as dinosaurs.
ACA and same-sex marriage have suddenly become legally validated American institutions. They are here to stay. Debates will rage, but – if polls are any indication – most Americans will eventually get used to these new realities and perhaps even champion them.
