Kennedy was Republican nominee. And just like O'Connor before him and Roberts after him, once they got that lifetime appointment, they began shifting to voting as moderates. Which is good. We need judges that are concerned with impartial justice, not political parties. Any party that considers a justice a "traitor" is exactly what is wrong with partisan politics in this country.
I realize he was a republican nominee. And yes his votes have shifted at times which means the Court is not a conservative majority. Both parties are that way. 2 years ago after the individual mandate portion of Obamacare was upheld, dem support spiked to a decade-high 68%. After that same court ruled in the Hobby Lobby case, Democratic support dove to 44%. I find it pretty disgusting for anyone on either side to suggest or hope for a Justice's death or premature departure just to ensure a "good" replacement. That is what Dr. Chemerinsky did here in an op-ed piece last March. http://articles.latimes.com/2014/mar/15/opinion/la-oe-chemerinsky-ginsburg-should-resign-20140316
