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Rand Paul declares himself the arbiter of constitutionality

<p>I'm sure when the dust settles, there will be a series of amusing pieces noting the most over-the-top reactions to this morning's
Rand Paul declares himself the arbiter of constitutionality
Rand Paul declares himself the arbiter of constitutionality

I'm sure when the dust settles, there will be a series of amusing pieces noting the most over-the-top reactions to this morning's Supreme Court ruling on health care, but some early nominees are already in the running for some kind of ignominious award.

For example, Rep. Mike Pence (R) of Indiana, a 2012 gubernatorial candidate, told his colleagues behind closed doors that the high court decision is comparable to the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Pence apologized soon after.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), meanwhile, didn't just say something outrageous in the heat of the moment, as some kind of emotional outburst -- he put his nonsense in writing.

"Just because a couple people on the Supreme Court declare something to be 'constitutional' does not make it so. The whole thing remains unconstitutional," the freshman lawmaker said in a statement.

First, a five-member majority is not "a couple people." Second, as many members of the United States Senate should probably realize, it's the Supreme Court's job to determine a law's constitutionality.

And third, a strange, self-accredited ophthalmologist may like to believe "the whole thing remains unconstitutional," but fortunately, it's not up to the junior senator from Kentucky to make such a declaration.