Justice Roberts?

It is indeed a fact that Justice Roberts is a conservative. His lineage from the Federalist Society steering committee, to Reagan to GHW 41 reveals a strong inclination to the conservative side of the ledger. The worry for most on the Left is whether he is Anton Scalia in less boisterous opinions. The greatest benefit to John Roberts is his mind. He is indeed a brilliant man. He was an early graduate at Harvard as an undergraduate and a Harvard Law School graduate. As Plato said, "Morality is the highest form of reasoning." That being true, Justice Roberts will serve us well.

Nevertheless, in terms of capital punishment, affirmative action, abortion, immigration, civil rights and civil liberties, John Roberts' move to the right on the court may upset the beloved "precedent" that he so loves to admire in the Supreme Court. Will he encroach upon "stare decisis" or will he abolish it? The paper trial on his judicial understanding is thin. His work in conservative administrations is not. But whether one is a conservative president or a left leaning one, intelligent people come from both sides of the aisle, and for the most part, can work in any "Incumbents" administration. David Gergen and Defense Secretary Cohen come to mind.

John Roberts learned answers on the issue of capital punishment are reassuring. His answers on civil liberties and rights is not for this author. Abortion rights is anyone's guess.

If morality is indeed the highest form of reasoning, we will have a very moral man in the retiring robes of Justice O'Connor.