July 28, 2005
Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez told an Associated Press reporter that if Supreme Court nominee John Roberts is confirmed, he will be free to vote to overturn the 1973 Roe vs. Wade abortion decision.
Although Roberts called Roe "settled law" during his confirmation hearings as an appellate judge in 2003, Gonzales says a Supreme Court justice "is not obliged to follow precedent if you believe it's wrong."
That makes sense to me.
What precedent was followed when Roe was decided?
None.
Justice Harry Blackmun decided the privacy clause of the 14th amendment included the right of a woman to kill her unborn child.
Precedents have been overturned before, or we would not have ended slavery or segregation.
The question is whether a decision was right.
Roe was wrong legally, constitutionally, scientifically and morally.
Liberals don't mind precedents they dislike being overturned.
They just don't want conservative judges to overturn precedents.
Look for liberal democrats and their interest groups to make a big deal out of this.
I'm Cal Thomas in Washington.
Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C. Watch his television show, After Hours with Cal Thomas, on the Fox News Channel, Saturdays at 11 p.m. Eastern Time.
