All eyes Monday morning will again be on the U.S. Supreme Court, as this week should bring what some believe may be a landmark decision on the Obama health law as well as a controversial illegal immigration law from Arizona.
There are other cases still to be ruled on by the Justices, dealing with real estate kickbacks, lying about military honors and sentencing for juveniles; but all of that pales in comparison to the political impact from the immigration and health care cases.
In fact, if the Obama health law were not an issue, the Arizona immigration law would be dominating the news this week, as some experts expect the Supreme Court to uphold at least part of that law, dealing a setback to the Obama Administration and the Justice Department.
After watching the Supreme Court for three decades, there are a couple of scenarios in terms of timing to expect:
* The Court could rule on all matters but the Arizona law and the Obama health law on Monday and then set aside one day each for those two major matters later in the week
* The Justices could rule on everything on Monday except for the Obama health law, setting up one final day later in the week on that politically explosive issue
* Or the Supreme Court could just get everything done on Monday, wrapping up work for the 2011-2012 term.
To me, that last option is unlikely; I'm not sure which of the first two I would choose, as both are a possibility.
The White House and Democrats in Congress remain optimistic in public about their chances to have the Obama health law upheld, though one year ago, Democrats were openly scoffing at the idea that the courts would find it unconstitutional.
"I believe the Court will rule in favor," said House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.
"We are ironclad constitutionally," Pelosi told reporters, still predicting a 6-3 majority in favor of the entire law.
At the White House, there were no predictions, but much of the same stiff upper lip in public.
"We believe the Affordable Care Act is constitutional," said White House Press Secretary Jay Carney.
As for President Obama, he hasn't said much in public at all about the case since taking a tough public line with the court's conservative wing in the aftermath of the March arguments on the case, comments he then walked back the next day.
At the end of April, Obama made a joking reference to the case at the White House Correspondent's Dinner:
"In my first term, we passed health care reform," the President noted; "in my second term, I guess I'll pass it again."
We'll see if the Supreme Court gives him that option at some point this week.
