Jewish World Review Jan. 19, 2006 / 19 Teves, 5766

Roberts revealed by suicide ruling

By Joe Scarborough

http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | Anyone wondering what kind of Chief Justice John Roberts will be on "life" issues needs to look no further than Tuesday's Supreme Court decision on Oregon's assisted suicide law.

The opinion, written by the always meandering Anthony Kennedy, upheld an Oregon provision that allows citizens to help sick and dying patients kill themselves.

But all the chatter coming from the Supreme Court steps centered around Roberts' decision to join a stinging dissent.

Roberts teamed up with Justice Antonin Scalia, who used his minority opinion to accuse the majority of either being confused or dishonest--suggesting Kennedy distorted established law to get the results he wanted.

Tough talk, but the kind of ideological warfare Americans should expect from their top court in the coming years. Unlike Anthony Kennedy and Sandra Day O'Connor, John Roberts has an established framework he will use to approach cases. Unlike the two Reagan appointees, he will not worry about public opinion when crafting his decisions.

That is bad news for liberal court watchers.

Making matters worse for them is the fact that Roberts will gain another ideological ally on the court in coming weeks. That's when Samuel Alito will gain confirmation from the Senate.

Tuesday, Nebraska Democrat Ben Nelson became the first Democrat to jump on Alito's bandwagon, bragging about being a big ol' booster of President Bush.

In the press release sent out to his Republican state, Nelson reminded voters he was no Tom Daschle. in fact, he had "supported more than 215 of President Bush's nominations to the federal bench, including Chief Justice John Roberts."

Yes. The same John Roberts who will spend the next thirty or so years writing opinions that will oppose assisted suicides, abortion rights and Sixties-styled judicial activism.

All in all, a very bleak time for groups like the ACLU and Planned Parenthood.