Chief Justice Roberts Sure Doesn’t Sound Like He’s Ready and Able to Defend the Constitution

Gee, what was your 285th clue, Sparky? From Politico:

“The notion that rule of law governs is the basic proposition,” Roberts said during an appearance at Georgetown Law. “Certainly as a matter of theory, but also as a matter of practice, we need to stop and reflect every now and then how rare that is, certainly rare throughout history, and rare in the world today...“That’s really too bad,” the chief justice told graduating students at the law school. “We’re developing a situation where a whole group of young people is growing up having no real sense about how our system of justice works.”

Luckily, Da Chief has identified the source of the problem: people who say bad things about the justices on the Intertoobz. Oh, and—if you read between the lines and squint a little—those that dare to criticize the former and current president, whom Roberts and the Court’s carefully manufactured conservative majority just so happen to have empowered greatly with their immunity ruling before his reelection last year.

Roberts suggested some recent verbal attacks on the justices had gone too far, but he gave no specific examples. “The court has obviously made mistakes throughout its history, and those should be criticized, so long as it is in terms of the decision, really, and not ad hominem against the justices. I just think that doesn’t do any good,” the chief justice said.

So, calling Clarence Thomas a Harlan Crow sublet doesn't do any good? Lightens my heart, Chief, I have to say.

Roberts assured the students Monday that the tense public atmosphere surrounding the judiciary and the fact that the justices “disagree a lot” hasn’t led to the kind of “toxic” personal strife that has permeated the Supreme Court at various times in its history. “We have to work together on these things that are difficult. You find a way to get along,” Roberts said. “It’s a long job. If you’re sort of really at each other’s throats with bad feelings and stuff like that, it just — it’s not a good way to function… We do have to address some very, very difficult things, and we’re the only people who are doing it.”

Don't rub it in.

Jesus, I just can't with this guy. The president is at war with the lower levels of the federal judiciary. He will get around to the Supreme Court very soon. And the best the Chief Justice of the United States can muster in defense of his branch of the government sounds like something a kindergarten teacher would say to a kid who draws on the walls of the classroom. The alarm bells are ringing and this guy is the snooze button.