Roberts: Congress Can Overturn High Court Rulings
Facing senators for a third day, Chief Justice nominee John G. Roberts Jr. said today it was appropriate for Congress to consider using legislative means to overturn Supreme Court rulings. (source)
Then why have a Supreme Court?
Judge Roberts was referencing a 5-4 decision last spring where the court said that a city, in this case New London, Connecticut, could seize private property to construct a shopping center, holding that the commercial enterprise was for the public good.
I also feel that the ruling was wrong. There are people who have worked their whole lives for their home. It’s now paid off, and now the city comes along and tells them to get out so they can build a shopping center. That’s wrong, in my opinion. But I believe that giving Congress the ability to override a Supreme Court decision is dangerous and an abuse of the balance of power.
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I think the wording is misleading - it is well-settled that once the Supreme Court interprets a law, Congress can enact a NEW law, which is what they often do, with the Court's interpretation as a guide as to what was wrong with it - for example the many ANTI-PORN INTERNET laws Congress has been enacting that get overturned by the Supreme Court for being too broad and/or vague - they merely need to narrow the focus/breadth of the new law to pass Constitutional muster the next time around.....
My twin brother did a very funny post about Roberts on his blog:
It was exactly what I was thinking while watching the hearing.