Supreme Court

I have to be honest. I was dissappointed when George W Bush nominated John Roberts to be the next Chief Justice. Not that I don't like Roberts; but I would have loved to have seen Chief Justice Scalia. Don't you just like the ring that has to it? I mean, a man with the full confidence of Ronald Reagan, and who has proven, over the years, to understand the law as it was meant to be, would clearly make an excellent leader for the Supreme Court.

Nonetheless, I am excited about Roberts' selection, and I am happy to see that he will soon be confirmed, minus the typical hoopla that the Democratic Party likes to create for these types of situations. I think that he will be an excellent Cheif Justice for many years to come. In fact, I expect him to be straight from the William Rehnquist mold. For starters, there is the fact that he clerked for Rehnquist, and thus, perhaps much of his Judicial Philsophy will have been influenced by the late Chief Justice. Also, his work for the preservation of States Rights' during the Reagan Administration is worthy of note. This is perhaps one of the most important indications that he will run a court similar to that of his predecessor.

As for the many allegations against him, none seem to really have any validity. Many seem to think he will revert back to 1950's style anti - Civil Rights notions. However, the only way this would happen is if he turns out to be a Liberal Justice. If you are still naive enough to think that Republicans are the racist Party, you may not get that joke. As for N.O.W and other liberal organizations that are afraid he will overturn Roe vs. Wade, I sincerely hope that their worst fears come true.

Intrestingly enough, a few on the Right are concerned that Roberts will be the next David Souter. (Ann Coulter being one of the most noteworthy) After more than enough suprises on SCOTUS and other Court nominees, their concerns are not to be overloked. However, I believe it is in the interest of these few to trust President Bush's judgement, more so than that of his father, and to realize that this is an incredibly intelligent man with a great respect for the law and an understanding of its History. It is highly unlikely that he will become another Souter.

The bottom line for me is this: I expect good things out of C.J. John Roberts and expect to see him as a respectable legal prescence for many years to come.