Justice Barrett’s Critics Have Abandoned Conservatism. She Has Not

Justice Barrett follows the law because she is a conservative. The liberty of every American is safer for her fidelity.

Earlier this year, Elon Musk asked why Democrats could always count on their appointed Supreme Court justices to rule for their side while Republicans could not. There are two answers to that question. First, for decades, conservatives have watched with frustration as several Republican-appointed justices have abandoned conservative legal principles after their confirmation to the Court, originating the old joke that Republicans need all nine appointments to the Supreme Court to have a 5–4 majority. Second, because conservative justices rule on principle, not a desired political outcome, they will sometimes come to decisions that are inconsistent with conservative policy preferences.