Okay folks, I'm going to make a prediction here on the substance of the next attack on Judge Jones. In an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer about Jones' recent speeches defending judicial independence, we find this little tidbit:
Edward Madeira, a senior partner with Pepper Hamilton L.L.P., which represented Dover plaintiffs, described Jones as the perfect ambassador for a more visible judiciary.
"God bless him," said Madeira, who serves with Jones on a state panel on judicial independence. "He came out of the case with a real concern about the lack of understanding of the role of the judiciary and has become a person who spends time very effectively talking about it."
I predict that this will be used for the next wave of attacks on Jones from his shrill and often absurd opponents (Phyllis Schlaffly, Casey Luskin, Jonathan Witt, Michael Francisco, Seth Cooper, Joe Manzari, and others). They're going to scream about the alleged conflict of interest because Jones serves on a judicial independence panel with a partner in the law firm that represented the plaintiffs in Dover. It's an absurd argument, of course, but absurdity never slows down this crowd in the slightest.
Madeira is absolutely right--so many Americans, including the most shrill wingnuts, seem not to understand the role of the judiciary in the United States. They would probably be happy to see the Supreme Court made part of the President's cabinet.