180 degrees

But before their station wagons are loaded up with coolers and beach toys, the Supreme Court judges, like the rest of us, have to finish off some work. That means this week some BIG DECISIONS will be made.

In an election year, these decisions all have political overtones, not least the expected ruling on whether the Affordable Healthcare Act (that’s possibly “Obamacare” to you) is constitutional. That long awaited decision will be handed down this week.

But on Monday, the Supreme Court made two other politicised rulings. One regarded what has become known as “Citizens United”, the Court’s most controversial decision since it handed George W. Bush the 2000 election.

That decision allowed corporations to fund politicians and drew criticism for helping flood the political scene – and process – with money. The Court decided to snub its critics and declined to revisit the subject.

Monday’s other ruling, on Arizona’s controversial immigration law, was a mish-mash decision that confused some media editors and producers about what their headline was and saw politicians of both colours claim victory.

In brief, the Supreme Court struck down most of the 2010 Arizona laws but did endorse the key component that requires police officers to check the immigration status of those they suspect may be in the country illegally (though everyone is still working out what would happen next to anyone the cops do check).

The immigration decision came a week after President Obama bypassed Congress with an executive order allowing pathways for the children of illegal immigrants to go to college, become American citizens, and decriminalise their "illegal” status.

And in possibly related news, it appears immigrants, especially Hispanics, may hold a key to victory in the 2012 election.

According to some figures, the Latino population increased from about 35 million in 2000 to 50 million in 2010. That’s huge.

The states affected most included Colorado, Florida, Nevada, and North Carolina. In some states those figures have distorted the electoral map and could make or break a candidate.

But others suggest Hispanics are underrepresented on electoral registers and won’t have such a big role to play after all and the actual key demographic is the declining, but still influential, non-college educated white male. In other words, the good old boys.

But while a lot of immigration attention has been focused on America’s southern border with Mexico and the role of Hispanics, something else has quietly been happening.

According to a study by the Pew Report, 14.5 million Asians in America are now the largest minority in the US. You’d probably think those numbers are driven by a stereotypical desire for cheap labour and Chinese restaurants, right?

Nope. Wait for it. It’s all about a tech boom.