Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Latest Breaking News
In reply to the discussion: Chief Justice John Roberts says Supreme Court is not political [View all]ancianita
(43,322 posts)57. Techdirt's owner's detailed reasons totally prove the American public and everyone here are exactly right.
...The timing here is something else a week after an obviously partisan ruling in Callais, which stripped away Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Notably, Roberts himself had pointed to Section 2s existence back in 2013 as the reason that they could kill off Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act (which required a pre-review of voting maps for racial bias). And now he helped kill Section 2.
If it were just about making decisions that are not popular, then why are nearly all of his unpopular decisions quite clearly in support of one partys goals and ideology? Any look at the details shows why people conclude that Roberts has a partisan bent to his rulings:
In the 15 precedent-overturning cases with partisan implications, in other words, Justice Roberts voted for a conservative outcome 14 times (93%).
Chief Justice Roberts is one of only two justices since 1946 to support 100% of decisions overturning precedent that led to conservative outcomes.
Robertss record in precedent-overturning cases is the second-most conservative among 37 justices who have ruled in at least 5 precedent-overturning cases since 1946. With 84% conservative votes in precedent-overturning cases, Roberts only trails Justice Alitos 88%.
Gee. I wonder why people think the Court is partisan, chief?
And, on Monday (as we pointed out) Roberts joined Alito and the conservatives on the bench to break standard practice and precedent, supporting Louisiana ripping up its election maps to favor more Republican seats even as voting had already started
even though, just months ago, he and the conservatives had said that Texas map (deemed unconstitutionally based on race by a Trump-appointed judge) couldnt be torn up because it was too close to an election and voters needed certainty.
There is literally no explanation for December being too close to change the maps while May somehow required rushing a map change in the same election other than the partisan leaning of those two decisions...
So, chief, if you want people to stop thinking the Court is partisan, maybe stop making such obviously partisan decisions.
.
Oh, and also maybe talk to your colleagues.
After all, at the very moment you were whining about people thinking the court was partisan,
-- your colleague Justice Neil Gorsuch was appearing on a famously rightwing podcast to talk about why young conservatives must have courage to stand by their beliefs. Sounds kinda partisan.
And just a few weeks ago,
-- your colleague Justice Clarence Thomas gave a speech arguing that progressives were an existential threat to America.
Gosh. Why would the public think some of you are partisan. I wonder!
If it were just about making decisions that are not popular, then why are nearly all of his unpopular decisions quite clearly in support of one partys goals and ideology? Any look at the details shows why people conclude that Roberts has a partisan bent to his rulings:
In the 15 precedent-overturning cases with partisan implications, in other words, Justice Roberts voted for a conservative outcome 14 times (93%).
Chief Justice Roberts is one of only two justices since 1946 to support 100% of decisions overturning precedent that led to conservative outcomes.
Robertss record in precedent-overturning cases is the second-most conservative among 37 justices who have ruled in at least 5 precedent-overturning cases since 1946. With 84% conservative votes in precedent-overturning cases, Roberts only trails Justice Alitos 88%.
Gee. I wonder why people think the Court is partisan, chief?
And, on Monday (as we pointed out) Roberts joined Alito and the conservatives on the bench to break standard practice and precedent, supporting Louisiana ripping up its election maps to favor more Republican seats even as voting had already started
even though, just months ago, he and the conservatives had said that Texas map (deemed unconstitutionally based on race by a Trump-appointed judge) couldnt be torn up because it was too close to an election and voters needed certainty.
There is literally no explanation for December being too close to change the maps while May somehow required rushing a map change in the same election other than the partisan leaning of those two decisions...
So, chief, if you want people to stop thinking the Court is partisan, maybe stop making such obviously partisan decisions.
.
Oh, and also maybe talk to your colleagues.
After all, at the very moment you were whining about people thinking the court was partisan,
-- your colleague Justice Neil Gorsuch was appearing on a famously rightwing podcast to talk about why young conservatives must have courage to stand by their beliefs. Sounds kinda partisan.
And just a few weeks ago,
-- your colleague Justice Clarence Thomas gave a speech arguing that progressives were an existential threat to America.
Gosh. Why would the public think some of you are partisan. I wonder!
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
Recommendations
2 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):
73 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
Chief Justice John Roberts says Supreme Court is not political [View all]
BumRushDaShow
Yesterday
OP
And they perverted the Constitution to wrap corporations in rights intended for human beings to enjoy
Ponietz
23 hrs ago
#43
""I think they view us as purely political actors, which I don't think is an accurate understanding of what we do.""
OldBaldy1701E
Yesterday
#8
I think the term for this SCOTUS that they are partisan hack activist justices.
Dustlawyer
Yesterday
#11
He's ruling "how things should be" instead of "how they really are" ... Oh really?
FakeNoose
Yesterday
#19
Suddenly he's trying to put lipstick and perfume on the foulest smelling ugly pig his court has become
Attilatheblond
Yesterday
#32
Well, as he's dismantled the constitution to install a fascist dictatorship arguably...
NNadir
Yesterday
#22
The Supreme Court isn't political. It's just six of them are lying racist corrupt hacks who never belonged on the court
Ray Bruns
Yesterday
#28
The simple fact most recent decisions favor corporate and rightwing ideology is clear proof of the SC's politicization.
sop
Yesterday
#29
My ex never cheated on me. She just had lots of handsome male friends that she socialized with.
Midnight Writer
Yesterday
#33
By the evidence it is most certainly for sale to the richest ideologues.
Ford_Prefect
23 hrs ago
#36
The public is having fun calling out the fact Roberts and five of the other justices are all racists assholes.
LetMyPeopleVote
20 hrs ago
#55
Techdirt's owner's detailed reasons totally prove the American public and everyone here are exactly right.
ancianita
19 hrs ago
#57
The entire federal judiciary has become so political that it is standard journalistic practice now
dobleremolque
18 hrs ago
#58
Roger Taney's court is considered the worst because of one decision in Dredd Scott
AZLD4Candidate
17 hrs ago
#60
This fucker isn't smart enough to understand that regardlerss of what he thinks, nothing is absolutely and
KPN
16 hrs ago
#61
MaddowBlog-Why John Roberts' defense of the Supreme Court was so wildly unpersuasive
LetMyPeopleVote
13 hrs ago
#66