For roughly the first 135 years of its history, the key role assigned itself by the Supreme Court was to be what was sometimes called the "umpire of the federal system." Over the past fifty years or so, the formalities of federalism have dropped into the background, to be succeeded by concern with the limits of governmental power on individual rights or, more recently, the duties of government to provide resources necessary to the individual's full enjoyment of these rights. What has remained constant throughout this period is the controversial status of the Court whenever it has attempted to resolve the great issues of the time. For this reason I am dubious about its function as a needed entity!
HANK
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