The 11th Circuit’s ruling that the health insurance mandate is unconstitutional is important in its own right, but the significance of it is amplified because we now have the 11th Circuit at odds with the 6th Circuit on this issue.

Conflicting legal authority among the federal appeals courts is an additional basis — some might say justification — for the Supreme Court to agree to hear a case. I don’t think there was much doubt the health care reform law would end up before the Supreme Court, but today’s ruling pretty much removes any remaining doubt.

David Kurtz

David Kurtz is Managing Editor and Washington Bureau Chief of Talking Points Memo where he oversees the news operations of TPM and its sister sites.