Chief Justice Roberts

A thoughtful analysis of the Roberts court by The New Republics Jeffrey Rosen. It appears that Chief Justice Roberts is determined to promote unified Supreme Court decisions, but as Rosen points out this years presidential election will determine whether this will continue. If McCain is elected a liberal judge (Ginsberg or Stevens) will most likely be replaced with a conservative judge and Roberts will no longer be compelled to work for consensus. One would hope that he would continue. However, if Obama is elected the balance of power will most likely remain the same. Finally, an Obama presidency focused on Health Care and renewed environmental regulations on businesses will raise a number of questions about federal powers that might come into conflict with a more Conservative interpretation of the Constitution. The real test will come when the Court will either defend Roe v. Wade or re-interpret the meaning of abortion and the Constitution.