Ruling excerpts from the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court upheld President Obama’s health care overhaul Thursday. Below are comments from the justices on the ruling, which was 5-4 with Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. siding with liberal justices.

• “Because the Constitution permits such a tax, it is not our role to forbid it, or to pass upon its wisdom or fairness.” — Chief Justice Roberts.

• “The act before us here exceeds federal power both in mandating the purchase of health insurance and in denying non-consenting states all Medicaid funding.” — Dissenting Justices Samuel A. Alito Jr., Anthony Kennedy, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas in a joint statement.

• “Whatever may be the conceptual limits upon the Commerce Clause and upon the power to tax and spend, they cannot be such as will enable the federal government to regulate all private conduct and to compel the states to function as administrators of federal programs.” — Justice Scalia.