Black Conservatives Hail 'ObamaCare' Ruling

WASHINGTON - A federal judge in Virginia has ruled that the Obamacare health care takeover is unconstitutional. Members of the Project 21 black leadership network are speaking out about this landmark ruling:

Coby W. Dillard: "The ruling in Commonwealth v. Sebelius is a reminder that individual liberty -- the right to live freely and make individual decisions -- trumps the attempt by the government to force an unpopular and unconstitutional health care mandate on the American people. In siding with Virginia, Judge Hudson has reaffirmed the original intent of our Constitution's authors, who did not wish to see the Commerce Clause used to compel citizens to participate in economic activity against their will. There is bipartisan agreement that our health care system needs reform. Achieving that reform, however, should not come at the cost of subordinating our inalienable right of liberty to the government under the guises of 'patient protection' and 'affordable care.' While the Supreme Court will likely have the final say of this, those of us who recognize the Obama health care bill's individual mandate as an attack on the liberty of all citizens have reason to celebrate today." (Coby W. Dillard is a member of Project 21 and a resident of Virginia. He is a founding member of the Hampton Roads Tea Party.)

Horace Cooper: "This is a victory for common sense constitutional law. Thankfully, Judge Hudson's ruling recognizes that we live in a country with a government of limited powers -- a country ruled by law and not men." (Horace Cooper is a member of Project 21, a resident of Virginia and a former visiting assistant professor at the George Mason University School of Law.)

Cherylyn Harley LeBon: "I'm glad to see that the Commonwealth of Virginia has prevailed in what so many have argued -- that requiring American citizens to purchase a product, in this case, health care, is a violation of the Constitution." (Cherylyn Harley LeBon is a member of Project 21, a resident of Virginia and former senior counsel for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.)

Mychal Massie: "This is hopefully just one of the first in a long line of needed steps to reign in the continued, overreaching intrusion by the government into our daily life. I agree with Judge Hudson's ruling that it is unconstitutional for Obama to dress his personal views and interests in a vestige of legislation and then mandate punitive consequences for those who would exercise their right to say no." (Mychal Massie is the chairman of Project 21.)

In the case of Commonwealth of Virginia v. Sebelius, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli argued the federal takeover of the American health care system that was signed into law by President Obama this past March violates a Virginia law that prohibits any mandate that Virginians purchase health insurance. The ruling came from U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.