
 |
|
February 13, 2012
Binyamin Rose: Back to the Bunker: How a life-risking act by a Christian family during the Holocaust saved a family and built a thriving community a world away
Menachem Wecker: Business Schools Teach Real Estate Despite Troubled Housing Market
February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
|
| |
Jewish World Review
Sept. 1, 2005
/ 27 Av, 5765
Roberts: The Before and The After
By
Jonathan Turley
| 
|
|
|
|
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Imagine dating someone for a couple of weeks before you have to decide whether to make a lifetime commitment. That is precisely the situation of senators in confirming a Supreme Court justice. Because a confirmation is rarely a case of love at first sight, it usually comes down to the testimony of the nominee, who is invariably told by White House chaperones to say little and smile a lot.
John Roberts may be the ultimate example of the judicial blind date.
The White House has steadfastly maintained a cone of silence around Roberts, whose hearings are set for next week. Indeed, Roberts himself has developed an almost serene, Buddha-like quality as he floats through walls of reporters without answering a single question. Even his name seems to shout discrete anonymity like thousands of John Smiths on "no-tell-motel" ledgers across the country.
Reporters have been combing through more than 50,000 pages of documents in search of the real John Roberts. Various news articles complain about the lack of a single definitive document some legal version of Martin Luther's 95 Theses of Contention nailed to the Supreme Court door.
These papers, however, do offer a mosaic that reveals a considerable amount about Roberts. The man who emerges is a thoughtful, witty and gifted lawyer. He is also someone who wouldn't likely have many, if any, colleagues to his right on the high court. I liked the Roberts in these papers, but frankly I tend to be an easy date for nominees. He is likely not as compatible with some of the senators who are having commitment issues.
What is known
Consider what we know about Roberts in a few of the most sensitive areas:
Abortion. Roberts has litigated against Roe v. Wade, though he can claim that he was merely representing a client. His past statements indicate that he has supported those positions personally and professionally. During the Reagan administration, Roberts supported a memorial service for aborted fetuses as "an entirely appropriate means of calling attention to the abortion tragedy." In the 1980s, Roberts pushed for new judges who would support "the sanctity of innocent human life" and described the right to abortion as based on the "so-called 'right to privacy.' " In 1991, he referred to Roe as "wrongly decided." In cases expected next term, not only will Roberts likely vote for parental-notice and the ban on a procedure that critics call "partial-birth" abortion, his past views also would compel a vote to overturn Roe altogether.
Access to courts. Roberts has been somewhat hostile to citizens and groups seeking to challenge the government. In 1981, he advocated greater standing challenges to keep public interest groups out of court and recently praised opinions that barred environmentalists from suing in many cases. The true Roberts was probably captured in a 1993 law review article, criticizing many such cases as brought "at the behest of any John Q. Public who happens to be interested."
Affirmative action and discrimination. These papers reveal a long opposition to racial and gender preferences. Roberts has opposed set-aside programs for minority contractors and in 1995 said, "You don't overcome racism by engaging in it yourself." He has also criticized efforts to require "comparable worth" wages for women as a "radical redistributive concept." These papers reflect a deep-seated and principled opposition to the use of race or gender in sorting out citizens for jobs, contracts, or other benefits.
Criminal law and procedure. Roberts has criticized the exclusionary rule, which bars the use of illegally obtained evidence, and, as a judge, has favored police powers over privacy concerns. He has also supported restrictions on habeas appeals to the federal courts, including in death row cases. Though Congress and the courts have moved toward the positions that Roberts first advocated in the 1980s, Roberts has a view of the criminal process that is strikingly like that of his mentor, Chief Justice William Rehnquist.
Environmental laws. Roberts' past litigation, writings and opinions reveal a fairly antagonistic view of environmental interests, including a strident if not mocking dissent in a recent Endangered Species Act case. Combined with a strong belief in states' rights and federalism, Roberts would likely vote with Justice Antonin Scalia on limiting such federal programs.
National security and presidential powers. Roberts is clearly highly deferential to presidential powers, including a recent decision siding with President Bush on a narrow interpretation of the Geneva Conventions. He has supported Vice President Cheney's appeal in his withholding information on the role of lobbyists in the drafting of the energy bill.
Separation of church and state. Roberts appears to hold the same view of the religion clauses as Scalia and the other conservatives do. For example, he has described the courts as hostile to religion in school cases and has stated that the position of the courts that the Constitution prohibits a moment of silence "or even silent prayer" is "indefensible."
What we think we know ...
Of course, history has shown that predicting a nominee's voting record makes reading goat entrails and phrenology look scientific in comparison. The problem with divining a future legacy is that it's not simply a question of who a nominee is but also who that nominee will become as a justice on the Supreme Court.
If there were a constitutional version of divorce, many a confirmation would have been undone as fast as a Vegas-strip wedding. Harry Blackmun was viewed as a solid conservative as an appellate judge when he was nominated by President Nixon. He turned out to be a liberal icon. Indeed, the greatest liberal icon, Earl Warren, was nominated by conservative President Eisenhower. David Souter was viewed as a reliable conservative from the New Hampshire Supreme Court he has proven to be a consistent vote on the left of the court. Then there is Sandra Day O'Connor, who enraged conservatives in casting the critical vote with liberal justices in many cases.
Such changes can also run from left to right, disproving the idea that the court has some inherent liberalizing effect on jurists. President Kennedy nominated the liberal Byron White, who ultimately opposed much of the liberal agenda.
Roberts is unlikely to suddenly find his inner liberal voice on the court. In looking back at jurists who surprised their nominating party, they are largely individuals who did not have a clear philosophy before joining the court. Though highly credentialed, they were not ideologues at least not before they joined the club of nine. In the case of O'Connor, a judicial philosophy never did emerge. Her opinions were often inconsistent, political and outcome-driven.
John Roberts, to his credit, is no Sandra Day O'Connor. Roberts is someone who has thought long and hard about judicial philosophy. Justice Clarence Thomas' statement in his confirmation hearings that he simply does not have a personal opinion about Roe v. Wade would be a ludicrous answer from Roberts. He is more like Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Scalia, who came to the court after a long history of advocacy.
No, the court is not likely to change John Roberts, but Roberts will almost certainly change the court.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
JWR contributor Jonathan Turley is a law professor at George Washington University.
Click here to visit his website. Comment by clicking here.
ARCHIVES
© 2005, Jonathan Turley
|
|

Arnold Ahlert
Mitch Albom
Jay Ambrose
Michael Barone
Barrywood
Tony Blankley
Lori Borgman
Stratfor Briefing
Mona Charen
Linda Chavez
Richard Z. Chesnoff
Ann Coulter
Greg Crosby
Alan Douglas
Larry Elder
Suzanne Fields
Frank J. Gaffney
Bernie Goldberg
Jonah Goldberg
Julia Gorin
Jonathan Gurwitz
Paul Greenberg
Argus Hamilton
Victor Davis Hanson
Betsy Hart
Ron Hart
Nat Hentoff
Marybeth Hicks
David Horowitz
Jeff Jacoby
Renee James
Paul Johnson
Jack Kelly
Ed Koch
Ch. Krauthammer
Michael Ledeen
John Leo
David Limbaugh
Kathryn Lopez
Rich Lowry
Michelle Malkin
Jackie Mason
Ann McFeatters
Dale McFeatters
Dana Milbank
Jeanne Moos
Dick Morris
Jim Mullen
Deroy Murdock
Judge A. Napolitano
Bill O'Reilly
Kathleen Parker
Star Parker
Dennis Prager
Wesley Pruden
Tom Purcell
Sharon Randall
Robert Robb
Cokie & Steve Roberts
Heather Robinson
Pat Sajak
Debra J. Saunders
Martin Schram
Culture Shlock
David Shribman
Roger Simon
Michael Smerconish
Thomas Sowell
Ben Stein
Mark Steyn
John Stossel
Cal Thomas
Dan Thomasson
Bob Tyrrell
Ben Wattenberg
Diana West
Dave Weinbaum
George Will
Walter Williams
Byron York
ZeitGeist
Mort Zuckerman

Robert Arial
Chuck Asay
Baloo
Chip Bok
Dry Bones
Lisa Benson
John Branch
John Cole
J. D. Crowe
John Deering
Brian Duffy
Everything's Relative
Mallard Fillmore
Glenn Foden
Jake Fuller
Bob Gorrel
Joe Heller
David Hitch
Jerry Holbert
Lee Judge
Steve Kelley
Jeff Koterba
Dick Locher
Jimmy Margulies
Rick McKee
Michael Ramirez
Kevin Siers
Jeff Stahler
Ed Stein
Danna Summers
John Trever
Gary Varvel
Kirk Walters

Mr. Know-It-All
Dr. Peter Gott
GET A JOB! by Marty Nemko
Richard Lederer
Frugal Living
Tech Maven
On Nutrition
Bookmark These
Bruce Williams
|