Chief Among Them

Fewer than half of Americans can name the three branches of government. But there’s little doubt that the judicial has been branching into our lives in a big way lately. And it’s not just the extreme, ethical-boundary pushing judges like Alito and Thomas. The NYT (Gift Article) provides an inside look at How Chief Justice John Roberts Shaped Trump’s Supreme Court Winning Streak. It’s notable that the topic of SCOTUS appointments has been almost entirely absent among the issues being debated in this election (while a make believe story about people eating pets has been at the forefront). Meanwhile, it turns out that SCOTUS justices might be just as out of touch about Americans as Americans are about the branches of government. “In his writings on the immunity case, the chief justice seemed confident that his arguments would soar above politics, persuade the public, and stand the test of time. His opinion cited ‘enduring principles,’ quoted Alexander Hamilton’s endorsement of a vigorous presidency, and asserted it would be a mistake to dwell too much on Mr. Trump’s actions. ‘In a case like this one, focusing on ‘transient results’ may have profound consequences for the separation of powers and for the future of our Republic,’ he wrote. ‘Our perspective must be more farsighted.'” (Farsight is not 20/20.)