Roberts: My job is to call balls and strikes and not to pitch or bat

[sdix00]

When I heard the ruling, I was surprised that Roberts sided with the law, until I remembered what he said at the opening of his nomination hearing in September 2005 (below). It stuck in my head back then because he said it in a way that made me believe it. I was skeptical because I had personal feelings about how the court had ruled over the past decade and that I felt many of the decisions had been politically motivated, rather than strict interpretations of the law.

Anyway, the decisions and opinions of the other justices notwithstanding, I just want to give props to the Chief Justice today for making a decision based on his interpretation of the law, rather than his personal ideology (he clearly opposes the law).

I don't want to get into a political battle on this thread, let alone this forum. (I imagine many, if not most on this board oppose this law).

I just want to say that I appreciate his 2005 comments and I feel that the integrity of umpires has been re-enforced today, if ever so slightly.

http://articles.cnn.com/2005-09-12/politics/roberts.statement_1_judicial-role-judges-judicial-oath?_s=PM:POLITICS

Judges and justices are servants of the law, not the other way around. Judges are like umpires. Umpires don't make the rules; they apply them.

The role of an umpire and a judge is critical. They make sure everybody plays by the rules.

But it is a limited role. Nobody ever went to a ball game to see the umpire.

Judges have to have the humility to recognize that they operate within a system of precedent, shaped by other judges equally striving to live up to the judicial oath.

And judges have to have the modesty to be open in the decisional process to the considered views of their colleagues on the bench.

[OHUMP]

Thanks for posting I had forgotten about this in his confirmation hearings.

[johnnyg08]

Great post Steven and welcome back to the forum.

[bam]

I was wondering why you would preface the comment with "I don't want to get into a political battle...". Thats like saying "I don't mean to offend anybody but..." when CLEARLY you're about to say something offensive.

But then I read the quote, which I do not remember, and it came together.

Well said, btw.

I could care less about Obamacare because it's an inevitability that healthcare has to be consolidated, although if I ever see tort reform I may just keel the f$ck over.

I respect Roberts for his vote, and hope it STFU liberal weenies who constantly harp about him.