( CNN ) -- The Supreme Court begins each session with a proclamation that ends with the words `` God save this Honorable Court . '' Even strict advocates of the separation of Church and State ought to say `` Amen '' to that line after Thursday 's decision upholding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act . I write this as someone who not only thought that the act would be overturned , but also still thinks there are strong constitutional arguments to be made against the mandate . All Americans , however , regardless of their partisan affiliation or views on the Constitution , had something to celebrate Thursday . Despite what almost all the pundits predicted , the court 's decision provides some evidence that there remains one institution of American government that can not be seen as nakedly partisan . In the end , Chief Justice John Roberts , a career Republican who was nominated for the Supreme Court by George W. Bush , cast the deciding vote upholding the signature act of the current Democratic administration . This , I think , is what Americans indicated they were looking for when they elected a president in 2008 who , four years earlier , had risen to national prominence by giving a speech in which he took issue with those who would `` slice-and-dice our country into red states and blue states . '' Unfortunately , the divide between Republicans and Democrats has , if anything , gotten worse over the past 3Â½ years . Of course , each side blames the other for this result ; they are both right . More blame , however , is not what is needed . We used to refer to Congress , or at least the Senate , as the `` world 's greatest deliberative body . '' We all know that very little of what might be termed `` deliberation '' goes on within either chamber nowadays . Instead , Republicans attack Democrats , and Democrats attack Republicans . To deliberate means to consider something carefully . It means you have to listen to and weigh the position of your opponent . Unfortunately , in today 's world , partisans have adopted what amounts to a version of political fundamentalism in which giving any credence to the other side 's position is a form of heresy . But deliberate is exactly what the Supreme Court does . It is a far from perfect process , and yes , the court is affected by politics . As James Madison reminded us , however , neither the government nor the governed are angels . Perfection is not to be expected . Some attempt , however , to think through issues in a nonprejudicial way is required . Of course , Supreme Court justices have advantages . They do not have to stand for election and , as the chief justice wrote in his opinion read Thursday , they do not have to take a position on whether a law `` embodies sound policies . '' Nevertheless , the court , and particularly the chief justice , offered an important lesson to the political branches on Thursday on how they might undertake to solve the nation 's problems . Will those who serve in the political branches listen ? Their initial reactions are certainly not encouraging . The president and Congress may , however , want to take a look at current approval polls . Although even their numbers have declined lately , the Supreme Court has a much higher net approval number ( +8 ) , than Obama ( -4 ) , or the Congress ( -62 ) . Hopefully , the court 's numbers will be improved after Thursday 's decision . Both the Republicans and Democrats will doubtless find fault with Roberts ' opinion , but the example of bipartisan deliberation that the court provided was much needed in today 's political climate . `` This Honorable Court '' deserves our gratitude . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul Sracic .
Paul Sracic says whatever your political bent , you can celebrate Supreme Court 's decision . He says it 's evidence that there 's still an American institution that is not nakedly partisan . He says a career Republican , the Chief Justice , cast deciding vote on Dem Obama 's law . Score: 6 The example of bipartisan deliberation was much needed in today 's political climate .