President Barack Obama either believes most Americans don't know their history - or that they will believe him simply because he says they should.
He recently commented on the possibility the Supreme Court will rule his national health care law unconstitutional.
''Ultimately, I am confident that the Supreme Court will not take what would be an unprecedented, extraordinary step of overturning a law that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically elected Congress," President Obama said.
That is precisely the purpose of the nation's highest court - to safeguard the rights of Americans, even if their presidents and congresses thumb their noses at the Constitution. The court has done exactly that many times during the past two centuries, beginning with the famous Marbury vs. Madison ruling in 1803.
President Obama's comment may have been an attempt to intimidate high court justices.
If so, it backfired. One lower-court federal judge demanded an explanation of the president's comments.
President Obama's statement may prompt Supreme Court justices to think about the arrogance too often demonstrated by presidents and lawmakers.