PSW TONIGHT at 6:30: Greenhouse on Roberts

[Anjali Motgi]

What makes Chief Justice John Roberts tick? Is it baseball? Ideology? "Extremely close" relationships with the other Justices? Or something else?

This week at the Progressive Scholarship Workshop Linda Greenhouse will be presenting her draft chapter for a book that Oxford University Press is publishing on the health care case, edited by Professor Nathaniel Persily of Columbia Law School--a book sure to make Justice Scalia's holiday booklist next year. Her chapter (attached*) is titled Is It the Roberts Court? Many of you probably followed Professor Greenhouse's columns during and after the ACA argument and decision last Term, but this will be an opportunity to explore her take on the case and the ruling in the context of a broader look at the Roberts Court. It raises interesting questions for discussion: the institutional role of the chief justice; the nature of leadership on the Supreme Court; the relationship between the Court and public opinion – in addition to how the justices responded to the multi-layered arguments in NFIB v. Sebelius. It's short, and it responds directly to the argument made in Jeffrey Toobin's new book, The Oath. As always with Professor Greenhouse's work, the chapter is eminently readable, punchy and intelligent. I know y'all will enjoy the piece just as much as you enjoyed that last piece of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving! 

We'll be gathering in on our normal spot TONIGHT at 6:30 pm, in Room 121. 

*Please note that the attached chapter differs slightly from the one I sent on Sunday; it's been updated since then. 

See ya soon!

Anjali

[Renata Strause]

Seriously folks, I read Prof. Greenhouse's article in about 15 minutes yesterday, and that's only because I'm a slow reader.  It was delightful.  This is going to be a fun one.  We're insanely lucky to have the opportunity to shoot the shit with Linda Greenhouse about Justice Robert's take on the ACA -- don't let the lack of non-pizza dinner deter you.