That reality of a deeply politicized judiciary willing to manipulate court cases for partisan purposes also means that the nature of American democracy has changed.
With its unique position as the final arbiter of American law, the U.S. Supreme Court, now controlled by five conservatives, has appropriated the power to use whatever "logic" is handy to deliver the politically appropriate result.
Almost a decade after Bush v. Gore, with John Roberts replacing the late William Rehnquist as Chief Justice and right-wing legal theorist Samuel Alito filling Sandra Day O'Connor's seat, the Court has now reshaped the political landscape to make it even more favorable for Republicans by opening the floodgates so corporate money can flow at unprecedented rates.
As Iran-Contra special prosecutor Lawrence Walsh might have appreciated, the Supreme Court has emerged as the ultimate "strategic reserves" for the Republican Party -- and for an entrenched army of corporate interests.
