Breaking: Virginia judge first to declare the Obamacare individual insurance requirement unconstitutional

Ryan Streeter

U.S. District Court Judge Henry Hudson has ruled in Virginia that the individual mandate in the new health care law is unconstitutional. He argues that the government cannot force a citizen to purchase health insurance. That National Journal reports the breaking news:

This is the first direct ruling on the constitutionality of the insurance coverage mandate in the law. But Hudson has also acknowledged that regardless of his ruling, the case is likely to make its way to the Supreme Court.

For interested readers, the ruling is here.

White House sources are apparently signaling to the media that they are not "overly concerned" about this step in the judicial process.

The ruling is a big deal, of course, because 25 other states have filed lawsuits on the health care bill.