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Justice Roberts Hints He Could Overturn Roe
NewsMax ^ | 25 Jan 2010 | Theodore Kettle

Posted on 01/25/2010 11:34:34 AM PST by Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus

Chief Justice John Roberts last week made it clear that the Supreme Court over which he presides will not hesitate to sweep away its own major constitutional rulings when doing so is necessary to defend America’s bedrock governing document.

The announcement of that guiding core principle means two very big things. First, Roberts and his fellow strict constructionists on the court are now armed and ready with a powerful rationale for overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade abortion ruling if Justice Anthony Kennedy or a future justice becomes the fifth vote against Roe.

Secondly, successfully placing Roberts atop the high court is beginning to look like former President George W. Bush’s most important legacy – a gift that will keep on giving for conservatives for decades.

In last Thursday’s 5-to-4 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling dismantling the McCain-Feingold campaign law, Roberts joined with fellow Bush appointee Justice Samuel Alito to issue a separate concurrence “to address the important principles of judicial restraint and stare decisis implicated in this case.”

While Roberts conceded that “departures from precedent are inappropriate in the absence of a ‘special justification,’” he quickly added that “At the same time, stare decisis is neither an ‘inexorable command’… nor ‘a mechanical formula of adherence to the latest decision’ … especially in constitutional cases,” noting that “If it were, segregation would be legal, minimum wage laws would be unconstitutional, and the Government could wiretap ordinary criminal suspects without first obtaining warrants.”

Instead, under the “stare decisis” judicial doctrine of respecting past rulings, “When considering whether to re-examine a prior erroneous holding, we must balance the importance of having constitutional questions decided against the importance of having them decided right.” The chief justice declared: “stare decisis is not an end in itself.”

(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: abortion; bush; bushlegacy; dubya; imissbush; johnroberts; lovedubya; moralabsolutes; presidentbush; presidentgeorgewbush; prolife; roberts; robertscourt; roe; roevswade; roevwade; scotus; supremecourt; thankyougwb; w
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To: MozarkDawg

I don’t think they would need an amendment at this point. A bill would probably suffice. I would guess the decision would be quite narrow only saying it isn’t in the constitution, which still allows for Congress to enact it legislatively.


81 posted on 01/25/2010 1:05:57 PM PST by Mr. Blonde (You ever thought about being weird for a living?)
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To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus

I think this is more closely related to the pending 2nd Amendment decision.


82 posted on 01/25/2010 1:19:13 PM PST by Mariner
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To: mosaicwolf

if the court gives the “rights” of citizens to the unborn.....it would effectively overturn it.


83 posted on 01/25/2010 1:25:42 PM PST by tioga
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To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus

The Constitution can be amended.

Any ruling that ignores the original intent (as evidenced by practices and laws that no one considered to be unconstitutional at the dawn of the republic) should be overturned and the court should suggest that it is not an editorial board, and any editing of the Constitution is to be done via the amendment process.

The courts have been all too willing to do the job that is actually the duty of Congress - legislating in order to avoid nonsensical or absurd outcomes. Sometimes that should include amending the Constitution.


84 posted on 01/25/2010 1:29:14 PM PST by Notwithstanding (Wer glaubt ist nie allein. Who believes is never alone.)
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To: Owl_Eagle
A strange comparison. All are horrible, but ranking the worst?
85 posted on 01/25/2010 1:33:21 PM PST by andrew2527
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To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus

Pray...Pray...Pray....Pray....Pray.....


86 posted on 01/25/2010 1:35:21 PM PST by Typical_Whitey (Eric Holder and Obama are making a mockery of our justice system.)
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To: willgolfforfood

Which is Constitutional and would allow for those that do not wish to be in any way a supporter of murdering the unborn the chance to move out of that state and move to a state where it was illegal.


87 posted on 01/25/2010 1:37:30 PM PST by Typical_Whitey (Eric Holder and Obama are making a mockery of our justice system.)
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To: Moonman62

“That’s only two diamonds in the dung heap. His tax cuts were dominated by ineffective demand side rebates”

Look closely, and you’ll notice the War diamond doesn’t shine too brightly. Surely Bush was rhetorically tough, but in practice Obama has proven to be about the same. Yeah, he’s going to put terrorists on trial in a civilian court and claims to want nothing to do with “torture”. Also...well, those are about the only differences. Gitmo’s still open. We’re still in Iraq. We’re still piling sanctions on Iran. We’re surging in Afghanistan.


88 posted on 01/25/2010 1:41:44 PM PST by Tublecane
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To: Owl_Eagle

Fifty million innocent people is already worse than the Holocaust.


89 posted on 01/25/2010 1:58:21 PM PST by TheOldLady (We'll remember in November.)
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To: TheOldLady

Quite true.


90 posted on 01/25/2010 2:02:34 PM PST by Dr. North
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To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus
Thank you Chief Justice Roberts!!

(And THANK you, President Bush!!)

We need to PRAY for this man. He is a gift from God!

91 posted on 01/25/2010 2:05:46 PM PST by ohioWfan (Proud Mom of a Bronze Star recipient!)
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To: Robbin
That's like saying, he could have done a lot better overall than saving the country........

Expectations pretty high there??

92 posted on 01/25/2010 2:07:18 PM PST by ohioWfan (Proud Mom of a Bronze Star recipient!)
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To: theKid51

ping — The could make history


93 posted on 01/25/2010 2:08:26 PM PST by bmwcyle (Free the Navy Seals)
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To: Moonman62
Where are your show and tell photos of President Bush with Angela Merkel and the corn?

(You can photoshop in a dung heap for effect if you'd like. I'm sure you have one in your storehouse of "evidence" that President Bush was evil. LOL)

God bless President Bush. He, by his choices of Roberts and Alito may well be preserving this great Republic. God BLESS him!

94 posted on 01/25/2010 2:13:12 PM PST by ohioWfan (Proud Mom of a Bronze Star recipient!)
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To: ichabod1

If he dies on the bench, will he still have a vote?


95 posted on 01/25/2010 2:14:10 PM PST by DLfromthedesert (Diversity kills)
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To: BlessedBeGod

Overturning Roe v Wade is not the same as ruling “life begins at conception”. It will just give the states the authority to make their own laws regarding abortion, just as it was before the 1973 ruling.


96 posted on 01/25/2010 2:20:01 PM PST by DLfromthedesert (Diversity kills)
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To: ohioWfan
God bless President Bush. He, by his choices of Roberts and Alito may well be preserving this great Republic. God BLESS him!

Big ol' ditto and bump !

97 posted on 01/25/2010 2:24:26 PM PST by Just A Nobody ( (Better Dead than RED! NEVER AGAIN...Support our Troops! Beware the ENEMEDIA))
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To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus
Okay, quick question, how do we make abortion illegal and keep from having a substantial increase in entitlement payments?

Whatever is done just make sure there is no more money extorted from me.
98 posted on 01/25/2010 2:26:49 PM PST by randomhero97 ("First you want to kill me, now you want to kiss me. Blow!" - Ash)
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To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus

How difficult it must be for a low-intellect SC Justice aff-action appointee lackey like Sotomayor to be so owned by the wisdom of a higher intellect (Roberts)!

LMFAO!


99 posted on 01/25/2010 2:27:21 PM PST by AlanGreenSpam (Obama: The First 'American IDOL' President - sponsored by Chicago NeoCom Thugs)
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To: Just A Nobody
:)

Even though he has left office, President Bush's steadfast support for the sanctity of life goes on.

The importance of this cannot be overstated.

100 posted on 01/25/2010 2:28:36 PM PST by ohioWfan (Proud Mom of a Bronze Star recipient!)
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