DCCC chairman Steve Israel with an immediate fundraising email: Republicans threw everything they had at us, and they lost. With you standing with us, we can carry this momentum into November and win a Democratic majority to keep making progress. Please donate $3 or whatever you can right now.

The Majority: t taxes that seek to
influence conduct are nothing new. Some of our earliest
federal taxes sought to deter the purchase of imported
manufactured goods in order to foster the growth of domestic industry.

Sign outside #scotus: "Justice Thomas may not ask questions, but we will answer them." Held up by high schooler in town for debate camp.

From House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer: Our highest court has weighed in, and its decision to uphold the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a victory for all Americans who have ever worried about being able to access or afford the care they need. Democrats are proud to have worked hard to pass this landmark legislation in 2010 and of our efforts to make sure it is implemented in a way that continues to yield new benefits for patients, employers, and care providers.

From NJ Gov Chris Christie: I’ve been clear from the very beginning that I do not believe a one-size-fits-all health care program works for the entire country and that each governor should have the ability to make decisions about what works best for their state. Today’s Supreme Court decision is disappointing and I still believe this is the wrong approach for the people of New Jersey who should be able to make their own judgments about health care. Most importantly, the Supreme Court is confirming what we knew all along about this law – it is a tax on middle class Americans.

From House Ways and Means Chair Dave Camp: While I respect the ruling of the Court, they have granted the federal government unlimited power to intrude on the private lives of American citizens. I do not believe our Founding Fathers would have ever contemplated a federal government with this much power. This is a dangerous day for the future of civil liberties and the principle of limited government this country was founded on. This ruling ensures that Americans will now face an untenable choice of either paying a massive tax or higher insurance premiums. I will continue to fight to repeal the entire law and craft commonsense solutions that address the most critical challenge facing families and job creators – the high cost of health care.

Ah--Court says shouldn't have granted cert in 1st American www.supremecourt.gov @tedfrank analysis?

A carpenter on the steps of the court is going around saying this is what you get when you have a democracy without a "Christian consecines."

Michelle Bachmann: court's decision "incomprehensible." Side note: Tea Partiers LOVE her - the crowd tripled the sec she showed up. #scotus

More from Roberts opinion: "The joint dissenters argue that we cannot uphold
§5000A as a tax because Congress did not “frame” it as
such. Post, at 17. In effect, they contend that even if
the Constitution permits Congress to do exactly what we
interpret this statute to do, the law must be struck down
because Congress used the wrong labels.

Cheers of "We Love Obamacare" are attempting to drown out Michele Bachmann speaking, and they are succeeding. #scotus

Tom Daschle is on tv saying he's "euphoric." I bet.

There's an Obama supporter in the Tea Party crowd who's getting a...lukewarm welcome. "Goddamn college liberals, I can't take it."

retreating from twitter to concentrate on opinion, do some reporting. i'll post story later. bye for now, and thanks for following!

They took off to the steps of the Capitol--the Tea Party folks. Quite symbolic

Obama's oging to speak at 12:15 at the White House. Romney just sent out a notice of an event for which doors open at 11 - will Romney speak before the president?

The Majority sums up its opinion: "The Affordable Care Act is constitutional in part and
unconstitutional in part. The individual mandate cannot
be upheld as an exercise of Congress’s power under the
Commerce Clause. That Clause authorizes Congress to
regulate interstate commerce, not to order individuals to
engage in it. In this case, however, it is reasonable to construe what Congress has done as increasing taxes on those
who have a certain amount of income, but choose to go
without health insurance. Such legislation is within Congress’s power to tax

Gotta own it MT @JeffreyToobin: Winner at #scotus is verrilli, solicitor gen.Among losers is me,who was so critical of of his oral argument.

Whoops. Bachmann said "black cloud, not black crowd" - that's my typo, not her gaffe. But you get the point...

Lindsey Graham's message to Democrats: "Stand by your tax. Admit that it is a tax." Also: "My beef is not with John Roberts."