GoodFellows: Conversations on Economics, History & Geopolitics “Deciders”, “Honey Badgers”, and “Lonely Liberals”: Sarah Isgur on a Divided Supreme Court
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May 12, 2026 
Sarah Isgur, court watcher and SCOTUSblog editor, outlines a 3-3-3 map of the Supreme Court and its implications. H.R. McMaster, former national security advisor, brings military and security perspective. Sir Niall Ferguson, historian, adds geopolitical context. John Cochrane, economist, raises legal and economic questions. They discuss court alignments, voting rights, administrative state battles, Iran’s stalled talks, a US-China summit, and Fed leadership challenges.
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Dobbs Shifted Fights Back To Politics
- Post-Dobbs litigation has shifted many culture-war fights from constitutional rulings to statutory interpretation, returning many policy choices to the political process.
- Isgur notes this produced more state-level legislative activity and altered party alignments.
Leaks Have Long Haunted The Court
- Leaks of draft opinions and memos are not new; the Court has recurring historical leaks from Dred Scott to Roe to Dobbs.
- Isgur recounts past leaks and clerks indicted in 1919 to show leakage is longstanding.
Supreme Court Lags Political Time
- The Court is a lagging indicator of politics, reflecting earlier political moments; current justices mirror the 2005–2010 political environment, meaning today's polarization could reach the Court later.
- Isgur warns this delay gives time to reverse trends but risks future partisan entrenchment.
