[alancarp]

As I understand it (I’m not a lawyer)

Day 1 (today): Jurisdiction of the Court to rule on the case... at least the ‘tax’ portion. Arguments about applicability of the Anti-Injunction Law to Obamacare. Arguments about whether the failure to buy insurance (as required by the Individual Mandate) constitutes a tax or a penalty. (Duh, it’s a penalty). If they rule it’s a tax, then arguments on this cannot be done until 2015 or later. SCOTUS hired their own guy to investigate this.... they are taking it seriously.

Day 2: Individual Mandate arguments.
Day 3: Severability issues.

Today’s Oral args. up on CSpan now.

[RitaOK]

katie, see #53.

[Lurking Libertarian]

Jurisdiction of the Court to rule on the case... at least the ‘tax’ portion. Arguments about applicability of the Anti-Injunction Law to Obamacare. Arguments about whether the failure to buy insurance (as required by the Individual Mandate) constitutes a tax or a penalty. (Duh, it’s a penalty). If they rule it’s a tax, then arguments on this cannot be done until 2015 or later. SCOTUS hired their own guy to investigate this.... they are taking it seriously.

One of the lower courts held that the Anti-Injunction Act barred any challenge to the constitutionality of the individual mandate before 2014. The Obama administration is not making that argument, so the Court appointed a lawyer to argue the lower court's position.