November’s election may prove decisive as to whether the current ineffectual 5-4 majority in favor of limited congressional power becomes a strong 7-2 majority or gives way to a majority that believes Congress can do anything it wants to citizens. If nothing else, Roberts’s ruling has clarified the stakes for November. Perhaps that was what he was getting at when he wrote: “It is not our job to protect the people from the consequences of their political choices.”
It is tempting to read into Roberts’ motivations, but chief justices tend to take a longer view of issues than a news cycle or even an election cycle for that matter. What that long view is (if it is such) has yet to reveal itself.