Most progressives would rank Citizens United v. FEC as the worst ruling ever handed down by the Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Roberts. But five other rulings are turning out to be even more disastrous.
Scott Lemieux
Scott Lemieux is a political science professor at the University of Washington. He writes for the blog Lawyers, Guns & Money. Follow @lemieuxlgm
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Next for Clinton: A Running Mate
As speculation swirls over who would make the best running mate for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, a key question is how her pick might tilt the balance of power in the Senate.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Clinton Shifts Emphasis, but Not Position
Hillary Clinton’s supposed shift to the left has been overstated, as her support for a single-payer Medicare plan illustrates.
Posted inCivil Rights in America
“One Person, One Vote” Battle Just Starting
Three scholars scrutinize Evenwel v. Abbott, a Supreme Court ruling with broad implications for both the future of voting rights and the direction of the Court.
Posted inArticle
The Limits of Originalism
Two recent rulings by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas spotlight the limitations of originalist readings of the Constitution, which would dominate a Court controlled by conservatives.
Posted inLaw and Justice
Obama and the Supreme Court: Lose Today, Win Tomorrow?
In choosing a successor to Antonin Scalia, Obama would do well to play the long game and consider a nominee with strong progressive credentials.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
5 Men on Supreme Court Impose Substantial Burden on Women in Illogical Decision
The Supreme Court rules in Hobby Lobby v. Burwell that corporations can have a religious conscience—at least when it comes to birth control.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
The Implications of the Supreme Court’s Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Ruling
The balance the opinion strikes between the state’s interest in protecting access to reproductive health clinics and First Amendment rights is not unreasonable, and should not unduly restrict states going forward.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Important 4th Amendment Victory on Warrants and Smart Phones
The precedent was in fact clear enough that all nine members of a Court with a notably dubious record on Fourth Amendment rights agreed with the judgment.
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Supreme Court Hampers EPA on Greenhouse Gases But It Could Have Been Worse
The majority opinion by Scalia made it harder for the government to regulate polluters, but doesn’t appear to impede the administration’s new climate regs.