Accepting victory before a crowd of delighted supporters at his party's headquarters in Ankara, the capital, Mr Erdogan immediately pledged to keep up efforts to join the EU. He also addressed fears among millions of urban and middle-class Turks that his party is bent on unravelling decades of determinedly secular rule launched under the founder of modern Turkey, Kemal Ataturk.

ECONOMIST: The ruling party does surprisingly well

That rule is being relaxed on wealthier families, but remains in tact for the working class who are migrating to Beijing and Shanghai in search of employment.

FORBES: Beijing Looks to New Population Controls

And the typical 5-4 split between conservative and liberal justices may not rule the day: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a former civil procedure professor, is a class-action skeptic who has previously voted to rein in cases on behalf of asbestos claimants and insurance customers.

FORBES: Class-Action Foes Have Trifecta Before Supreme Court

The Buffett rule is rooted in the fairy tale that taxes on the wealthy are lower than on the middle class.

WSJ: Review & Outlook: The Buffett Ruse