Scalia, the Scourge

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has always been at the conservative end of the SCOTUS spectrum;  he has also always been a sharp dissenter, given to sarcasm and denunciation of his colleagues' opinions.   He once wrote in dissent that Sandra Day O'Connor's argument was "not to be taken seriously."

Now he may have gone over the edge in his dissent on the immigration bill.   Not even Clarence Thomas joined his opinion but rather wrote his own.

The objection here is not his disagreement but the dismissive tone and his departure from the law and the questions posed by the case.   He was rudely dismissive of President Obama's executive order concerning those brought here as children -- no polite legalize but closer to street language in talking about the citizens of Arizona being "under seige" and "the evil effects of illegal immigration."

And, mind you, he was dissenting from an opinion written by Anthony Kennedy and joined by Chief Justice John Roberts -- not just the liberal four.

George Washington University law professor Jeffrey Rosen said,
"He's sounding more like a conservative blogger or a Fox News pundit than a justice."

Paul Campos, law professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder said, "In his old age, he has become increasingly intolerant … and a pompous celebrant of his own virtue and rectitude."

Is he just a cranky old man?   Where is the line between being opinionated and sharp-tongued and being imparied to sit on the highest court in the land?   With lifetime tenure, he can serve as long as he pleases.   It would take impeachment to remove him involuntarily.

Let's see what he says tomorrow about the Affordable Heath Care Act.

Ralph