Why Liberals Should Fear the Supreme Court in 2015

[Valin]

National Journal:

Obamacare, religious freedom, and same-sex marriage equality are all on the judicial agenda.

Sam Baker

Dec. 26 2014

 

The Supreme Court is poised for a blockbuster year in 2015—and the list of high-profile cases could keep growing.

 

Already, the Court is set to rule in a case that threatens to wreak havoc on Obamacare. The justices are also considering questions of religious freedom, free speech, and limits on political fundraising.

 

That mix of cases poses big risks for liberals, who were caught off guard by the Court's enthusiasm for another high-stakes Obamacare battle. And under Chief Justice John Roberts, the Court has steadily chipped away at campaign-finance limits.

 

But Republican governors and social conservatives also have a lot on the line: As soon as the justices return from their holiday break, they'll have to decide whether to take up same-sex marriage once again—a step many legal observers believe the Court will simply have to take, and one that could clear the way for same-sex couples to legally marry in every state.

 

Here are the highest-profile issues the Court will likely tackle just in the first six months of 2015, before the current term ends around the end of June.

 

(Snip)