It always risky to predict the outcome of a Supreme Court case based on the oral arguments, but fans of liberty have reasons to be encouraged by the remarks of the Pacific Legal Foundation's Executive Director Todd Gaziano as he emerged from the court after listening to the justices ask questions in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association.

The case involves the question of whether people who decline to belong to a union can nevertheless be compelled to pay a portion of union dues. Ten California school teachers, including lead plaintiff Ruth Friedrichs, filed the suit.  

Gaziano said that Chief Justice Roberts appeared to show "continued skepticism" with such mandatory fees, while Justice Scalia indicated that there is "cause for concern" in most of the negotiations unions undertake.  I urge you to listen to what Gaziano said.

The PLF filed an amicus brief in the case arguing that all public union collective bargaining is inherently political and has an impact on public policy, which would mean that the teachers are required to pay for political advocacy with which they disagree.