Reliance Interest
The term "reliance interest" generally means an
economic or legal interest in the existing legal order, as set
forth in court precedents. Thus, it tends to oppose changes in
that order, even if it wrongly interprets the Constitution.
Government workers and pensioners. This is the single largest group. They are recipients
of government-originated revenues, and as such beneficiaries of
the programs that pay them. Those can include programs like Social
Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and housing and farm subsidies.
Within the above general group are military personnel,
contractors, military bases, and the like.
Legal profession. The practice of law is mainly based on
precedent, not on constitutional history or theory. Lawyers learn
not to challenge precedent, except in extraordinary cases. This
also applies to judges.
Academia. Much research is government-funded, and tends to
support current doctrines of what should be done.
Congress. Most
members of Congress are perfectly aware that much of the
legislation
they pass is unconstitutional. They are not experts on the
Constitution. They are experts on getting re-elected. If pleasing
a
few constituents will get them re-elected, it doesn’t matter to
them. Their attitude is if the courts want to strike it down, then
we
can blame them. Anyway, there are not enough judges and courts to
review everything they pass.
State and local government. They receive much of their
funding from the U.S. government.
Black projects. These are often unfunded by Congress, and
hidden under the security classification, "Top Secret: Special
Access Project". Even the President doesn't control many of these,
but they participate in the decisions made by other branches.
Many of these are predominantly funded by legislation advanced by
the Democrat Party, and is the reason Democrats tend to oppose
originalist judges.