Ken's Reviews > Justice on the Brink: The Death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Rise of Amy Coney Barrett, and Twelve Months That Transformed the Supreme Court

Of the three branches of government, I know the least about the judiciary. It makes sense. For one, their work is highly detailed and all about "the law." For another, their work is mostly cloaked in secrecy.

This, then, is a helpful book to learn more about the Supreme Court, where it's been, and where it finds itself. Alarmingly, where it finds itself is in much the same place as the rest of the country. (Hint: It rhymes with "Trouble")

This has countless causes, chief of which is Trump's three appointments, helped along by Mitch McConnell, a man who history will remember as no friend to the Constitution or the United States he has pledged to serve and reneged on serving. (Sorry, Mitch, but serving party over country doesn't cut it.)

Personalities come to the fore in this book, but not in all nine cases. If there's a villain, it is not Thomas (more the eccentric, crackpot uncle upstairs, he) but Alito, a man who is pretty blatant about where he stands (set your GPS to 23 Fox "News" Lane).

Roberts has tried but failed to save the Court from evolving into Alito-style "partisans in robes" but, in his way, has himself contributed to the cause by working hard to undermine voting rights and giving religions preferential treatment.

In fact, under this 6-3 Conservative court, we are drifting back to a theocracy such as we had in Puritan New England. The Christian right has outdone itself bringing case after case after case to the court to lap up the new, preferential treatment that blows separation of church and state out of the water. Of course, despite its political activity, no religion is begging to lose its tax exemptions. (And this won't be the only example of irony you will come across.)

Gorsuch? He's the Ted Cruz of the Court, meaning he is little liked by any of his brethren. He relishes going after other justices -- especially Roberts -- in what can only be called, um, sarcastic dissents.

As for Kavanaugh, his opinions often wrestle with logic -- an opponent out of his opinion's weight class. In one case, Kavanaugh even contradicts his own opinion on a similar case earlier on. (Whoops.)

If there's a hero of the crew, it's Sotomayor. Eloquent, a spokesperson for the people -- especially minorities. The new right-heavy court seems to take special pleasure in finding ways to rule against the little guy.

As for Breyer, he's decided to follow Ginsburg's precedent and go for it. Not retire in this brief, shining chance, but to risk serving until he's had his fill or dies -- either of which is likely to occur under a Senate returned to Trumpublicans' graces. (That is, if voters decide to blame Democrats for the inconveniences they've had to countenance due to this pandemic, and there's every indication they will.)

*Editor's Note: Since this review, of course, Breyer did indeed, learn from Ginsburg error by retiring while Democrats held both the White House and the Senate. As poor Ruth found out, power is a difficult thing to give up once you've sipped the ambrosia, but alas, all it did in her case is shift power to the New Puritans of the Far Right.

For laymen like me, a very doable book by a capable writer who has been following the Court for decades. Revealing, is what it is. Sometimes in ways I wish it wasn't.