Poll Results: Readers Less Optimistic About Healthcare Mandate—David Frum

Today we asked, "After Three Days of Arguments, How Do You Think the Court Will Rule on Obamacare?" The results were as follows:

Uphold all of the law: 43% Uphold all of the law except the mandate: 32% Strike down the whole law: 25%Though readers were more optimistic earlier in the week that the healthcare mandate is constitutional, a majority of 57% now believe three days of hearings have revealed a much more skeptical Court.

Some readers worried that partisan ideology had crept up even into the highest court in the land:

Rick B. Just don't think that mandate will survive at the Federal Constitutional level. We'll see, but does not look good for plan supporters. Do we know they are actually Republicans? Conservatives yes, appointed by Republicans yes, but I'd be reluctant to assume they are party folks. Lots of conservative Democrats out there too.

However 43% were still optimistic the mandate would stand and the Court would produce a strong endorsement of the law:

saladdin: I believe they'll uphold it all. In spite of the arguments from day 2. Also, Scalia's arguments simply don't wash. It seems that he really lacks fundamental understanding of the health care market. His idea that young people could get coverage just before they get sick is simply ludicrous on its face. My guess is a 6-3 vote, possibly 7-2. I don't think the vote will be close either way simply due to the fact that Justice Roberts wouldn't want a 5-4 vote on such a radically contentious issue.