If Willet was appointed and approved, I bet Roberts would move to the left, becoming the new Anthony Kennedy v 2.0. Think of the adulation and notoriety Roberts would engender from the media, the legal community and the left. It’s almost too much to humanly resist.
That’s why we need at least one more seat to open up (I’m lookin’ at you, Ginsburg). Just like in the Senate, it seems we always need some extra true conservatives in reserve to counter the Roberts and the McCains of the world.
Roberts will do whatever the people holding dirt on him tell him to do, as evidenced by his Obamacare ruling. The Chief Justice has a secret that he would like to remain hidden...
This new nominee may be a reliable conservative voice but the era of 5-4 decisions will continue unless Trump gets at least one, preferably two, more picks!
I am certain, too that this would happen and that is why it is important to not get overly giddy about SCOTUS. We have been disappointed by SCOTUS, just like Congress for over 50 years. Always, someone turns out not to be what we think they are. I am happy for all the Winning, and possibly the grand prize is before us, but we also know things don’t usually turn out like we think they should. We can be confident though since President Trump is at the wheel.
I never thought of that, but you’re probably right. Roberts has no grounding principles, he is as wishy washy as Kennedy on issues that matter. The prospect of getting the limelight like Kennedy is probably too much to resist.