What makes a law a law — the authority of the lawmaker who imposes it, or the exaction of a penalty against people who refuse to comply?
Sounds like a metaphysical question. Down here on Planet Earth, we take as givens that Congress has broad powers to enact laws and that breaking those laws is apt to have serious consequences — administrative actions, civil lawsuits, heavy fines, even criminal prosecution.
Except … when it comes to ObamaCare. And that led to two hours of intriguing oral argument before the Supreme Court on Tuesday. True to our Blue v. Red times, the case is called California v. Texas.
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