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Stakes for Obama in health care law case

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    What's riding on Supreme Court decision?

  • Duration 3:29
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The highest court in the land takes at the talents to the president's signature legislative achievements.

Has health care overhaul law it is a historic week it sure is I'm John Scott right now protesters on both sides of the issue out in force of the Supreme Court.

As the justices hear the first of an unprecedented.

Three days of oral arguments.

The key issue of the individual mandate requiring Americans to buy health insurance or pay a penalty.

26 states are challenging that part of the law seeing it is flat out unconstitutional.

But the Obama administration claims the constitution gives congress the power to regulate interstate commerce.

And the individual mandate falls under that power of his landmark case will have major implications for every single American.

With the justice is expected to rule in June right smack in the middle of the presidential election campaign.

-- -- -- is Fox News digital politics editor and a host of power play on fox news live dot com.

Chris the president called this the signature achievement the proudest moment.

Of his first term in office.

The first term in office -- How.

Now I think I know that -- that's -- that they're all kinds of implications there but anyway.

How much of his personal prestige is riding on this.

Well it's a big deal and no president would like to have their signature -- the biggest accomplishment of their term in office be struck down by the High Court so the president who used to be a constitutional law instructor right -- of Illinois.

Would I'm sure not like to see.

The core a core provision of his legislation struck down.

But of course the reality of politics in America today is this the law remains unpopular.

Most Americans -- surveyed on this question have said that they don't think that the federal government has the power.

Under the constitution to compel individuals to purchase private health insurance.

So the president is on as sticky point here for his personal prestige.

No doubt he wants to see the -- -- and certainly to the policy -- That it seeks to achieve but in terms of what he gets politically out of this.

May not be that helpful if the Supreme Court backs him up.

Well but but on that individual mandate you know that the commerce clause and so we're going back to 47 -- The Supreme Court told an off farmer that he couldn't grow wheat because it affects you know the nation's wheat supply.

The courts have given pretty wide latitude to congress in in setting up the terms of the -- commerce clause.

That those very few words not even a whole sentence has been sort of the bull work of what we've seen in legal arguments over the twentieth century.

In terms president Roosevelt's new deal.

And under Lyndon Johnson's great society efforts that commerce clause was used to deal with all of these issues that relate to what the federal government.

Can take from you give to you and all of those other things -- -- this is such a big deal because this is a novel area for work the exploration of the commerce clause.

Which says can't the government make you do something it's not that they can't make you not do something which is what they told that former.

But could they make him grow -- can they compel him to do something that would be for the betterment of all of national commerce that's the question in front of the court.

Well it's going to be fascinating to watch -- -- -- thank you if you want more on your politics fix you can catch Chris at the bottom of the hour he'll be hosting power play while you're watching happening now.

-- log on a foxnews.com click on a live link right there on our home page.

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