This morning’s bombshell Supreme Court ruling upholding Obamacare knocked the wind out of conservatives, but Sen. Jim DeMint says he’s optimistic that it will fire up the base and improve Republican electoral prospects come November.

“It puts the ball back in our court where it belongs in the first place — in the hands of the American people, to change out the politicians who are for growing government and replace them with people who understand why America is exceptional and believe in those principles of freedom,” the Tea Party senator said this afternoon, addressing a full house at the Heritage Foundation two hours after the court declared the health care reform law constitutional under Congress’ taxing power.

Though he sees it as a game-changer, he’s still bitter about the ruling.

“This healthcare bill was sold on a lot of promises that have not turned out to be true,” DeMint lamented. “It was sold as a lie.”

President Obama’s 2009 interview with George Stephanopoulos, in which he decidedly rejected the idea of the individual mandate as a tax (and which has gone viral since this morning), is perhaps the most vivid example of the deception DeMint decried.

He also disputed the President’s claims that the health care reform would reduce the cost of health insurance and boost our economy. According to the senator, the opposite is likely to occur.

“The implementation of this plan will lower the quality of American healthcare, raise the cost, and make it harder for people to get the healthcare they need,” DeMint said.

However, he remains hopeful. He pointed out that a positive consequence of the court decision is that “it gives Americans a clear contrast as to where we want to go as a country.”

Going into the November election, he wants voters to consider which path they wish America to embark on.

The crucial question he posed: “Do we really want to be more like Europe or do we want to be more like America that’s prosperous and great?”