Fair to Meddling

Our very own Seth Rosenthal (legal director of Alliance for Justice) has a piece in Slate. He takes a look at the myth of the so-called "hands-off" conservative jurist and calls for a rhetoric-free conversation over the role the courts play in American life.

As the Supreme Court's term nears its conclusion, columnist George Will has asserted that the John Roberts and Samuel Alito confirmation debates were all about preventing "the nation's courts [from being pulled] even more deeply than they already are into supervising American life." The implication is that those who championed the recent nominations believe in a limited role for the courts, while those with reservations idealize an expansive one.

This characterization, taken directly from the right wing's playbook, sounds nice and neat. There's only one problem: It isn't true.

Yeah, you know you want to read more.