With the opening of the Supreme Court’s 2015-16 term, there was some interesting commentary about how many Republicans don’t think that Chief Justice Roberts is conservative enough. Apparently, he has become a punching bag for a number of Republican candidates.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts

The source of the ire seems to be that Justice Roberts has twice in recent years failed to strike down the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) even though both cases that were brought were nakedly political and ostensibly silly.[1] Roberts, of course, was appointed by George W. Bush, and has been consistently conservative on most issues.

Among other things he has:

• Voted to strike down legal limits on campaign spending;
• Consistently supported the right to bear arms;
• Consistently opposed a constitutional right to gay marriage;
• Wrote the opinion that struck down most of the Voting Rights Act.

This term there is a strong likelihood that the court will revisit the abortion question, as well as looking at birth control in the specific context of the Affordable Care Act. And the court may be asked to determine the meaning of the one-person, one-vote principle in a case that could have massive political implications.

Roberts not conservative enough?

Let’s get a reality check, nation.

As many of you know, who the next set of Supreme Court Justices will be is often one of the more important reasons for voting for a particular Presidential candidate. Just look at Clarence Thomas, if you don’t know what I mean.[2]

And sorry, it is time for Ruth Bader Ginsburg to retire.[3]

[1] This blog has previously posted a long discussion of the Affordable Care Act, if anyone is inclined to digest something so, well, policy-wonkish.

[2] Thomas, or silent Clarence, has been in office for 24 years. At this point there is no doubt that he sexually harassed Anita Hill while the head of the EEOC – just as there is now no doubt that OJ Simpson murdered Nicole Simpson – and he was ethically unqualified to be a Supreme Court Justice, a conclusion that has been bolstered by his ethical lapses since assuming a position on the court.

[3] Ginsburg is 82 and barely hanging on. She was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1999; on February 5, 2009, she underwent surgery related to pancreatic cancer; on November 26, 2014, she had a stent placed in her right coronary artery. She’s been a very good justice, but she should give Obama the chance to appoint a replacement. Of course, Obama would have a hard time getting any nominee past this Senate.