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Five Thirty Eight linked this interesting chart:

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I had thought Kennedy was about where Roberts is, and that Roberts was closer to Alito; that would make me think the centerline should be a bit farther left.  On the other hand, is Ruth Bader Ginsburg really less of a liberal than Clarence Thomas is a conservative?  That would have made me think the line should be a bit farther right.

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Bailey's scores below (emphasized on Wikipedia) have every Justice right where I pictured them:

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Blue = Thomas

Brick = Alito

Black = Roberts

Green = Kennedy

Yellow = median

Dot = Kagan

Purple = Breyer

Gray = Sotomayor

Orange = Ginsburg

Bailey also sees Ginsburg and Sotomayor as being far more moderate than all four conservative justices. (?!)

TAKEAWAY Most of the lines head south.  Most Justices become somewhat more liberal as they get older.  

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Wikipedia also has a surprisingly good issue-by-issue rating chart here.  It's not at all dissimilar to a Fangraphs chart, and it is sortable.  Maybe we can get a K/BB style ratio of IRS/Federal Power ratio?  :- )

1.  Alito and Thomas = 19% and 21% rulings in favor of defendant rights in criminal cases.  Kagan 71% of the time sided with the defendant.

2.  Alito = 21% siding with individual freedoms in speech.  Sotomayor sided with the individual in 77% of the landmark cases brought.

3.  Thomas = 24% siding with minority groups in the specific civil rights questions they brought.  Ginsburg 69% of the time.

4.  Roberts = 86% siding with the government on the IRS.  Interestingly, Thomas the second most "liberal" judge at only 57%.  The two extremes are held down by Kagan on one side and Sotomayor on the other.  Whaaa?

5.  Alito = 86% siding with corporations in knife-edge F-500 lawsuits; Ginsburg still 56%.

TAKEAWAY We read the Fangraphs-style chart on the Justices' voting records, and take comfort that it's not a bunch of 100%, 0% votes like they are becoming in the Senate ...

TAKEAWAY Senators hear Gorsuch say "I'm just going to stick to the text" and they smile, because they know their real interest is --- > Gorsuch's percentages on the chart above.

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Kennedy and Souter (who used to be about where Breyer is, I think) were appointed by Republican judges who thought they'd be were Alito is now.  I wonder what the chances are, of that occurring with Gorsuch?

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There is a buzz that says Trump already knows about a second opening this summer.  Can't imagine where he'd get that, other than conversations with Kennedy about his retirement.

Enjoy,

Jeff