Full Court Press

The Supreme Court is back in session today, and big media are analyzing whose Court it is, ideologically speaking.

The New York Times calls it the Roberts Court.

There are three hardened camps: four very conservative justices, four liberals, and a moderate conservative, Justice Anthony Kennedy, hovering in between.

Which is why many veteran SC watchers are calling it Kennedy’s Court, as the National Review Online does.

On most close and contentious questions, the Court is dependent upon the mildly conservative, but quite idiosyncratic, jurisprudence of Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy. The Court appeared more conservative last term, in part, because of the particular mix of cases on the docket. This term presents a decidedly different mix, however, and will show that the Court remains significantly less conservative than some would like, and others fear.

This provides another occasion to remind you that the president’s authority and power to name Supreme Court justices is one of the most important reasons to vote, and with a morally informed conscience.