Roberts--supreme court nominee

[Martha]

Well Bush has nominated John Roberts, a 50 year old appellate court judge, to replace O'Connor.

Quite conservative but not red hot on social issues. Though he is married to a former VP of Feminists for life. Unless something untoward comes out in the hearings, odds are he will be confirmed. The question is by how wide a margin.

 

[Bookm]

Have they publicized his stance on any of the hot-button issues? Or I wonder will he keep his personal opinions out of his decisions and just apply the law.

Bookm

 

[brewer12345]

Frankly, I would prefer any justice not to have particular opinions on social issues that apply to his or her rulings. They are there to interpret the law, not lay down an agenda, whether left or right.

Centrists are very lonely these days...

 

[Bookm]

Frankly, I would prefer any justice not to have particular opinions on social issues that apply to his or her rulings.  They are there to interpret the law, not lay down an agenda, whether left or right.

Agreed. They surely have opinions on issues, but the job requires them to remove those opinions when rendering a decision, and as you said, interpret the laws/codes/case law.

Bookm

 

[BigMoneyJim]

Centrists are very lonely these days...

I think the problem is that in this climate of polarized politics we have no extreme centrists.

 

[Michael]

Have they publicized his stance on any of the hot-button issues?

The biggest issue seems to be abortion, on which he has made mixed comments. He said Roe v. Wade should be overturned when he represented the first President Bush in a court case, but more recently stated that Roe v. Wade was established law. It does not seem to be a settled issue, but the Senate will surely ask more questions on this topic:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/07/20/scotus.bush.ap/