SCOTUS discuss tariffs

[kan...@aol.com]

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/supreme-court-justices-show-hints-unconventional-splits-arguments/story?id=127239372

It looks like it might be a bad day at black (rock) robe for Trump.

Every major news outlet wrote on this, with varying points of view. This one looked as good as any. 

Neil Katyal opened his presentation by saying, "tariffs are taxes". Simple enough and true. Tariffs take money from US citizens and give it to the treasury. That a TAX. Even Chief Justice Roberts agreed. The comment from Clarence the Clown and Sam-I-am were typical of men about to continue their role as Trump sycophants. Same with Kavanaugh. The light in these bulbs is really dim. 

Trump's claim to unlimited tariff power rests in an old bill that grants emergency powers "to regulate imports". But as Katyal points out, Congress has used the term regulate like 1500 times, never using it to mean taxes. 

The issue is so simple that I'd have expected a 9-0 Trump loss. But never underestimate the willingness of some Justices to just cave to Trump. 

Oddly the Sect'y of Treasure and Commerce were in the House. Trump said he might appear. Why? Whadda you think? To intimidate. Not like he needs to be there to learn what's going on. The last Sect'y of Treasury to appear at SCOTUS? Alexander Hamilton, the fist Sect'y. And he showed up AFTER resigning the position.