Already I am being labeled as cynical and to willing to be a prophet of doom regarding this appointment by Dubya. In light of that I would like to give reason for why the prophetic mantle is necessary.

Republican Presidents have had twelve of their appointees have a bite at the abortion apple, whether in the original Roe case or subsequent cases that were attempts to overturn Roe. Below is the list of those Republican appointees and how they fared when they had a crack at upholding life.

Justice – Wm. Brennan
Appointed by Eisenhower
Position — Pro Death
Case — Roe

Justice — Wm. Rhenquist
Appointed by Nixon
Position — Pro-life
Case — Roe (Dissent)

Justice — Warren Burger
Appointed by Nixon
Position –Pro-death
Case — Roe

Justice –Potter Stewart
Appointed by Eisenhower
Position — Pro-death
Case — Roe

Justice — Harry Blackmun (Mr. Abortion Himself)
Appointed by Nixon
Position — Pro-death
Case — Roe

Justice — Lewis Powell
Appointed by Nixon
Position — Pro Death
Case — Roe

Justice –John Paul Stevens
Appointed by Ford
Position — Pro-death
Case — Casey

Justice — Sandra O’Connor
Appointed by Reagan
Position — Pro-death
Case — Casey

Justice — Anton Scalia
Appointed by Reagan
Position — Pro-life
Case — Stenberg

Justice — Anthony Kennedy
Appointed by Reagan
Position — Pro-death
Case –Casey

Justice — David Souter
Appointed by Bush I
Position — Pro-death
Case — Casey

Justice — Clarence Thomas
Appointed by Bush I
Position — Pro-life
Case — Stenberg

Let’s see … by a margin of 9-3 Republicans have appointed people who have been in favor of torturing and killing the yet unborn. Now, combine this with the following facts,

1.) This President has clearly said that he will not make the pro life position a litmus test for candidates to SCOTUS

2.) Bush campaigned for a Mr. Pro-death Republican Senator Arlen Specter over a pro-life candidate that was electable in the Pennsylvania Republican Primary.

3.) Bush’s Daddy pulled the same stunt with a stealth candidate promising that Souter was one of us. We all know how that turned out.

4.) Roberts in on record with a couple of quotes that if we were to take them at face value without allowing for a bunch of special pleading are pretty disconcerting.

Now all of this leads me to follow Reagan’s advice concerning the former Soviets which was doveryay, no proveryay (Trust but Verify). Now, of course since there is no way to verify the pro-life commitment of John Roberts there is in my estimation no reason to trust Dubya.

Now, to add this I will tell you up front that even if John G. Roberts ends up being strongly pro-life I am not quitting with my anti-Republican jeremiads. Republicans can count just like anybody else. A pro-life Roberts would leave Abortion safe 5-4. If Republicans want to convince me that they are serious about pro-life they will have to give the next two nominations to pro-life people. Until they do that I will continue to believe that this is all abortion politics that gives some pro-life judges in order to keep the Christian vote but not giving enough pro-life judges in order to keep the Soccer Mom vote who want the opportunity to secure abortion for their 16 year old daughters. The argument can be made that the politics of Abortion for Republicans requires them to campaign against abortion in order to galvanize their base by feigning being against it while at the same time not actually ending it which would have the effect of turning them out of office due to the backlash of outrage from what is arguably the pro-choice majority that comprises the American electorate — many of whom vote Republican for other reasons besides the culture war.

So, were I a betting man, I would lay my money on the following scenario. If Roberts ends up a Pro-life vote, Bush will nominate a pro-choice individual when and if Rhenquist goes. If Roberts ends up a Pro-Choice vote then Bush will nominate a Pro-life individual thus keeping the social conservatives on the Republican plantation. Sooner or later though the slaves are going to learn to count to five and when they finally realize that the manipulation of their votes was as premeditated as the past 35 million abortions they are going to show the Plantation Massa’s how difficult it is to work the farm without the help.

May that day come very soon.