Supreme Court’s stamp

Re “Conservative justice,” Opinion, June 29

The Supreme Court, in its decisions handed down during its just-completed term, certainly demonstrated that elections have consequences. On issue after issue, from campaign finance to abortion to racial preferences to free speech, the court lurched to the right, ignoring established precedent in the process.

Erwin Chemerinsky is wrong when he writes that “nothing can be done about it now.” During their confirmation hearings, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. promised they would abide by the doctrine of stare decisis -- to stand by things decided.

Yet both combined to be the swing votes in several 5-4 decisions reversing long-standing Supreme Court precedent.

Roberts and Alito clearly lied under oath while being confirmed by the Senate and should be impeached and removed from the bench.

SID DUTCHER

Anaheim

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How hypocritical of Chemerinsky to say the conservative majority on the Supreme Court is ideologically motivated. Could it be they make decisions based on the Constitution rather than their feelings?

I guess the four liberal judges are not driven by ideology. I won’t even start on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has been overturned so many times. Ideology works on both sides.

JIM MENDELSON

Playa del Rey

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In 18 months, the Bush presidency will be over, and not a moment too soon for many Americans. Unfortunately, his legacy will live on in the Supreme Court, which by its recent rulings has shown its true colors as a far-right juggernaut.

The tragedy is that Bush, who likely will be judged by history as the least competent, most divisive and certainly the most stridently anti-intellectual commander in chief in the nation’s history, can continue to poison our nation’s legal system long after his departure from office.

DAN FREEDLAND

Rolling Hills Estates