Buckle up, America: We're at T-minus two hours until the Supremes detonate the biggest nuclear explosion in the last few decades of American jurisprudence. If you haven't done so already, go read Kate's piece for a bit more context, then join us in the waning moments of this excruciating, months-long, high-stakes nerdfest of speculatory anticipation. To keep you preoccupied, a few final items for your review:
(1) For conservative pessimists, two predictions that the High Court will uphold the fetid monstrosity known as "Obamacare." The latter assessment comes from a lead editor of the estimable, left-leaning SCOTUS blog, whose live coverage will be worth following as the verdict is announced.
(2) For conservative optimists, a strong prediction that at least the mandate is about to get the judicial heave-ho, plus a withering indictment of the mandate itself. A final auspicious tea leaf?
(3) A final rehearsal of (preemptive) Lefty teeth-gnashing, as liberals prepare to instantly resort to predictable and false attacks on the Court if things break the "wrong" way. Be sure to read this hilarious list of "pre-game rationalizations" prepared by the Left over a loss they have not yet suffered.
(4) This genuinely interesting piece, which isn't directly related to the case. Do you ever wonder how the Supreme Court manages to ensure that its decisions never leak to the press in advance of the official announcements? (The most recent leak came roughly three decades ago). How do they pull off this feat in sieve city? In short, it's a combination of veneration for the institution's traditions and terror-filled self interest among clerks. Fascinating stuff, though it's the (ultimately laudable) lack of any earthly idea of what's going to happen just after 10 am ET that has caused the last two weeks crawl along at a torturously glacial rate.
No polls, no big clues, no insider information. Just waiting. But all of that is about to end. How's everybody feeling? I'm nervous. Follow our build-up and breaking news tweets below, and add your two cents in the comments section: