SCOTUSblog live blog of opinions June 28, 2012

12:19

Matt:  Obama: For those who don't currently have health insurance, "this law provides an array of quality affordable private health insurance plans to choose from."

12:21

Matt:  Obama: "Today the Supreme Court also upheld the principle People who can afford health insurance should take the responsibility to buy health insurance"

12:22

Matt:  Obama: "The highest court in the land has now spoken. We will continue to implement this law."

12:22

Kali:  Reporting on the tone in the Court room durring the announcements, Mike Sacks at Huff Po writes, "Summarizing his delicate decision from the bench, Roberts reminded his listeners that it is "not our job to save the people from the consequences of their political choices." Still, the decision appeared to do just that."

12:23

Kali:  The rest of his report is here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/28/supreme-court-health-care-decision_n_1585131.html

12:24

Matt:  Also discussing the courtroom as the decision was handed down: Jeff Toobin tweets, "Roberts was red-eyed and unhappy as he read.” https://twitter.com/JeffreyToobin

12:26

Matt:  President Obama has finished. His last line: "Today I am as confidence as ever, that when we look back 5 years from now, or 10 years from now, or 20 years from now, we will be better off because we had the courage to pass this law and keep moving forward."

12:26

Kali:  At National Review Online Johnathan Adler offers some comfort for those unhappy with the decision, "...as I understand the ruling, the opinion does very little to enlarge the federal government’s power and, in key respects, reinforced federalism limitations on federal power. "

 

12:27

Kali: 

NRP has an "Interactive opinion" linking to key sections: http://www.npr.org/2012/06/28/155907705/interactive-inside-the-health-care-ruling 

12:28

Kali:  Sorry "NPR"

12:29

Matt:  Ilya Somin at Volokh Conspiracy: Although the Supreme Court upheld the individual mandate as an exercise of the Tax Power, a majority of the justices also ruled that it is not a legitimate exercise of Congress’ powers under the Commerce Clause. In doing so, they endorsed the plaintiffs’ argument that the individual mandate exceeds the scope of the Commerce power because it does not regulate “economic activity,” but instead targets inactivity. http://www.volokh.com/2012/06/28/supreme-court-majority-endorses-activity-inactivity-distinction/

12:30

Matt:  (for Obama's statement, I was also typing as he was speaking. Apologies for any typos.)

12:32

Matt:  Scott Clement at the Washington Post discussing polling data on the popularity of the Affordable Care Act: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/six-charts-to-explain-health-care-polling/2012/06/28/gJQAlBrn8V_blog.html?tid=pm_politics_pop

12:35

Matt:  They should be flashing on the bottom of the screen, but in case you missed it, don't forget to check out our own coverage of the decisions.

12:35

Matt:  Lyle on the individual mandate: http://www.scotusblog.com/2012/06/dont-call-it-a-mandate-its-a-tax/

12:35

Matt:  Kevin on Medicaid expansion: http://www.scotusblog.com/2012/06/court-holds-that-states-have-choice-whether-to-join-medicaid-expansion/

12:35

Matt:  Tejinder on the Alvarez and Edwards cases: http://www.scotusblog.com/2012/06/court-holds-stolen-valor-act-unconstitutional-dismisses-first-american-financial-v-edwards/

12:36

Matt:  House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi is answering questions now.

12:37

Matt:  Pelosi: "We are here to do a job for the American people. We are here to act on our beliefs."

12:39

Matt:  To answer a question from Anita S. Jackson: here is a feed of Pelosi: http://www.c-span.org/Live-Video/C-SPAN3/

12:40

Matt:  Question to Pelosi: Chief Justice Roberts called medicaid expansion 'a gun to the head of states.' Why was it designed that way? Pelosi objected to the characterization. "We wrote this law very carefully."

12:41

Matt:  Pelosi: "We are not bothered at all with the decision with regard to "Medicaid"

12:42

Matt:  Disclaimer again: Any quotes from the live statements I'm typing as fast as I can. They may not be exact, and I'm doing my best to minimize typos.

12:44

Matt:  CNN's Political Unit has quotes from various politicians reacting to the decision: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/06/28/political-world-reacts-to-supreme-court-ruling-on-health-care/

12:49 Matt:  David Bernstein at Volokh Conspiracy writes, “I’m wondering whether a close reading of the opinions will somehow persuade me that the individual mandate can be a “tax” for constitutional purpose, but “not a tax” for Anti-Injunction Act purposes” http://www.volokh.com/2012/06/28/tax-or-not-a-tax/