Everyone seems to be giving their opinion on John Roberts, the conservative, oops, the Judas Justice on the Supreme Court so I might as well give mine.

The liberal news media and pundits had already written their scathing columns and editorials attacking Justice Roberts before the decision was made on Obamacare and when the decision in which he joined the liberal justices was made ruling for Obamacare, Roberts shocked them and the whole world. They hastily rewrote their opinions praising him for all kinds of reasons using legal terminology that was confusing to non-lawyers like me.

Sources inside the court reported that Roberts first argued against Obamacare and then reversed himself and ruled with the liberal four on the court. Pure and simple he bowed to the extreme pressures of the left wing liberals including The New York Times and The Washington Post. But why did he perform a Judas? There was no 30 pieces of silver involved, but there was the national spotlight.

My guess is that he switched because he saw an opportunity to get world wide fame and recognition and become the darling of the left wing liberals; if so, he was very successful. 

When is a tax a tax and when is a penalty a penalty? Obviously it’s when Roberts at the Supreme Court says so. 

President Obama and the democratic congress spent months telling all the American people it was not a tax but a penalty. The president and Democrats knew that a tax could not pass so they used duplicity and subterfuge to get the bill passed and the media went along with the ruse.  

Roberts, needed more duplicity and subterfuge to rule for them so he continued the subterfuge but he said the penalty was really a tax and therefore the president and Congress had the authority to pass the tax bill under the constitution. So the president and democratic congress lied to the American people and put them in a trick bag, but that didn’t bother Roberts. He badly wanted his 15 minutes of fame in the limelight irrespective of the massive cost to the American people or the unprecedented politicking inside the hallowed halls of the court. So he changed the penalty to a tax.

I think Roberts will rue the day he double crossed his fellow conservatives on the court because now they and the American people will never trust him again. But the American people, even those who think they are getting something for noting, will regret the day even more when they find out how much it will cost the middle class who always bear the brunt of increased taxes. Even the so called poor people will suffer because businesses have to pass increased expenses on to the customer; making all goods and services cost more.

Long term history will record that it was a terrible price to pay for his double cross and not worth his 15 minutes of fame and recognition.

But all is not lost. In the short term, he may have ignited the spark that will cause the majority of Americans to get rid of Obama and many democrats in Congress at the election box in November. This decision goes a long way on the slippery slope of socialism from which there is no return.. 

That’s my story and I am sticking to it.

Milo A. Nickel is the former President and COO of Louisiana State Newspapers.