Usually  I put out The Cornfield Standings on Monday. However, in light of the  Supreme Court upholding the Affordable Care Act and declaring the  individual mandate a tax all Americans may be subject to pay if they  don't have healthcare insurance, I have been pushed to declare my  support for presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romeny.

The choice was between President Barack Obama, the incumbent Democrat, and Romney who are vied to answer the question, "Who's Running to Be My President".

I  now see Romney as the last chance to overhaul the Affordable Care Act  and to rid the country of the individual mandate tax. This bill is a  monstrosity as written. It needs to be dissected and keep only those  provisions which are truly beneficial to the American people.

Here are my thoughts on today's ruling:

Did the court make the right decision?

I  do not agree with the Court's ruling, I do, however, understand how the  Court arrived at that ruling under the Taxing Clause. As such the  premise on which the ACA was sold to the American people was built on a  falsehood...that the individual mandate was not a tax and would not  increase costs. But costs have already risen and more are scheduled to  rise.

Are you surprised by the decision?

I  was quite surprised by the ruling. I definitely expected the Court to  deem the individual mandate unconstitutional, which it did under the  Commerce Clause, but constitutional as a tax under the Taxing Clause.

How does it affect you personally?

My  out-of-pocket costs for healthcare after Medicare pays has already  increased. My prescription costs rose from $2-$4 per prescription last  year to $4-$16 this year. In 2013 and 2014 my Medicare premiums will  increse. My out-of-pocket costs will increase as providers will receive  less reimbursement leaving me to pay the balance.

How do you think it will impact the election?

I  see this ruling galvanizing conservatives and independents to make sure  that an Administration will take office in 2013 that will repeal the  individual mandate and work on true reform of healthcare.

You can see more of my thoughts in relation to today's ruling here:

Sad Day - Supreme Court Upholds ACA

Unaddressed Cause of Healthcare Cost

The  decision has pushed me to the point of calling it a certitude that I am  supporting Romney for President to end this individual mandate tax and  real reform of healthcare.

That said, here are the current standings:

Romney - My Choice:

4 Ears of Corn

Romney,  4 ears of corn in hopes he will rein in the things wrong with the  Affordable Care Act including the individual mandate tax.  Romney still   needs to be much more commanding on peripheral issues such as reaching  out more to Hispanics, GOP leaning GLBT members, and moving more to the  center. Romney needs to be firm about distractions, be resolute in  dismissing sideshows. As now the de facto leader of the Republican  Party, Romney needs to rein in those high profile individuals to stay on  message: the economy, jobs and the unsustainable debt. While he should  not put muzzles on anyone nor expect all or anyone to all be on the same  page as to his policies, shiny object distractions need to be hidden  away not to see daylight.

Obama - No Longer A Choice

1/2  Ear of Corn

President  Barack Obama stays at 1/2 ear of corn simply because he can change my  mind, though doubtful, between now and election day. As I have stated  each week, the only way I can say a 2nd term for the President is if  there are Republican majorities in Congress to provide adequate checks  and balances. The President has once more been found to have mislead the  American people by claiming that the Affordable Care Act would not  raise taxes nor would it raise costs. Today's ruling declares he did in  fact raise taxes with the individual mandate. My personal experience  shows costs have increased and will continue to go up.

From the Cornfield, that's The Cornfield Standings for this 28th of June.

You can always keep up with The Cornfield Standings here:

http://marksden.com/standings.html