Let the court decide, quickly

Good. The U.S. Supreme Court has finally been petitioned with appeals of federal health-care overhaul legislation, and a timely ruling on this profoundly important matter should be a priority for the court.

With an election year looming, voters need to be clear on whether so-called Obamacare legislation is constitutional, before they are subjected to campaigns at the presidential, congressional and even state office levels that are sure to make the legislation a major issue.

Another reason for a timely determination from the court: Obamacare is gradually being implemented at arguably incalculable cost and consequence to the country. If the law is struck down, better sooner than later to avoid wasteful government spending, useless efforts among states to implement the law, as well as avoiding harmful impacts on the health-care and insurance sectors and the already struggling economy in general.

And yet another reason for a swift ruling is the fact that the law has been challenged by 26 states as being unconstitutional. Having such a large bloc of opposition within the union is a serious fissure that needs to be addressed. Settling constitutional conflicts is the high court’s purpose, and this is the most serious conflict in recent history.

IT WAS refreshing to get a candid “no spin” assessment about the state of the economy this week.

Rick McCann, First Interstate’s Senior Investment Manager, told an audience Monday at the bank’s annual economic seminar, that they should not expect big improvements right away.

“Temper your expectations of when things will return to normal,” he said.

And while we would like to see him proven wrong, it is important that our leaders stop playing games with the numbers and admit where we are — still in the middle of a slowdown that looks and feels like a recession to businesses and families alike.

Consumers already get it, and that’s why consumer confidence is lagging. Businesses get it, too — and that’s why they aren’t investing heavily in the future. Throw in the financial crisis in Europe and a complementary slowdown in Asia, and there’s just not enough traction for the national economy to get moving again yet.

The Flathead, of course, has been particularly hard hit, with unemployment still hovering above 10 percent, but McCann sees bright spots in a resurgent tourist industry and continuing growth in the health care.

You can’t take those to the bank yet, but they are hopeful signs for the future.