A solid majority of Americans say Supreme Court justices are more likely to be guided by their own ideology rather than serving as neutral arbiters of government authority, a new poll finds, as the high court is poised to rule on major cases involving former President Donald Trump and other divisive issues.
The survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 7 in 10 Americans think the high court’s justices are more influenced by ideology, while only about 3 in 10 U.S. adults think the justices are more likely to provide an independent check on other branches of government by being fair and impartial.
The poll reflects the continued erosion of confidence in the Supreme Court, which enjoyed broader trust as recently as a decade ago. It underscores the challenge faced by the nine justices — six appointed by Republican presidents and three by Democrats — of being seen as something other than just another element of Washington’s hyper-partisanship.
pretty sure 3 out 10 americans believe they’ve met a demon or space alien
Non-politicized decisions are wacky, the Sackler decision had Gorsuch and Jackson in the majority and Kavanaugh and Sotomayor in the minority.
“Coincidentally,” the abortion and gun rulings are all exactly the same 6-3 teams based on who appointed them.
It’s pretty much settled fact that this Supreme Court puts ideology over impartiality.
The Sackler decision makes a lot more sense when you see it as the court disagreeing with how to protect the wealthy elite from future cases. Either the novel method here, being allowed to make an agreement that forecloses any future problems; or the traditional method of burying the other side in lawyers until you die.
They definitely do on the most important issues, however they continue to be impartial on the issues that don’t hit mainstream media (Fox Business Network)
3/10 Americans are complete idiots.
Which is honestly a better ratio than I would have expected.
I don’t think it. I KNOW it.
No idea why they’d think that…
Theres no such thing as an impartial person.
I like pineapple on my pizza. Therefore, I rule that everyone else must always eat pineapple on their pizza. The Constitution doesn’t say anything about pizza, so this is totally okay and exactly what the “Founders” wanted.
This is not, and never was, merely an issue of “being an impartial person”… but believing that you can and should be able to force your own partial views onto others - sometimes under threat of state violence - even when those views directly contradict the obvious letter and intent of our Constitution.
“Ideology over impartiality” means “they rule by fiat, rather than by any principle of justice.”
Its not believing they can, they just can.
This is true. It can be strived for, though, and there are strategies to overcome bias, increase impartiality, and identify bias in others. If the United States supreme court (and really its legal system too) had any integrity, it would champion doing so.
If the United States supreme court (and really its legal system too) had any integrity, it would champion doing so.
I think most of the liberal justice would argue the court is and that’s the problem. The keystone of Originalist philosophy is that judges should be impartial and leave policy decisions to the people (except when the constitution prohibits restrictions). To do that they are supposed to follow the original meaning, not the contemporary understanding.
In Living Constitutionalism judges are expected to apply their own personal standards and worry about the practical reproductions (that they for see).
I think the best strategy is to assume the worst. Assume that theyll take whatever bribes they can get away with, empower their political party however they can, seek to harm groups theyre hateful towards, etc. Restrict what they can get away with, do not permit any self accountability, keep the roster changing so corrupt roots cant go deep.
The difference is at least some of us recognize our bias and work to mitigate its effects while the rest of us don’t even know there’s supposed to be a difference.
Democracy requires its 3 pillars - the Judicial, the Press and the Political - to be independent.
In the US all three are tied, some even Constitutionally.
It’s thus not surprised that the country only ever got close to being governed for the Many rather than the Few at times when other Civil Society movements (such as Unions) were strong and healthy. Certainly that’s not the case nowadays, not even close.
3 out of 10 Americans are lying 🤣
3 out of 10 believe impartiality means agreeing with their ideology.
Or 3 out of 10 Americans are either to dumb or don’t care as long as they have “Freedumb!” and “Gunnses!”
Alternate headline: 3/10 Americans are living in fantasy land.
I would suggest 3/10 share their extremists ideology. (Well, the ideology of the majority,)
“Warriors are fine. Nerf warlocks.” -Me, a mage in Vanilla WoW.
Nah it’s 3.5 Right 3.5 left and 3 doesn’t care.
I’m curious how many of those 7/10 think it’s a good thing
3/10 are hopelessly naive
Maybe they believe that the supreme court is more influenced by money than ideology?
Is bribery and corruption an ideology?
Yes. It’s called Cronyism.
Then put me in with the 7 put of 10 Americans.
It’s called Cronyism.
Funny way to spell “conservatism”
Have you seen the interest rates on motorhomes nowadays?
Go read the Heritage Foundation’s founding documents. Literally says in black and white that the way to shift the landscape in your favor is by getting your people on the SC.
Ideology of “I get mine, you get shit”. Ideology of “I get what I want because I’m on this bench”. Ideology of “what can you do for me?”.
Illegitimate court. Every single ruling by them should be overturned and every citizen should ignore them.
That seems low.
The other 3 agree, but silently are agreeing with it
I don’t know. This is America. I’d say at least 1 out of 10 says, “the supreme what now?”
^^what’s ^^a ^^battle?
Most Americans are keyed in on the intricacies of the Court. You can find a few polls showing this like this one where 1/10 of college graduates think Judge Judy has a chair at SCOTUS.
https://www.cnn.com/2016/01/19/politics/judge-judy-supreme-court-poll/index.html
The poll used her real name, Judith Sheindlin, but still not a good look.
Using her real name and then reporting the results as “they thought Judge Judy was a SCOTUS justice” seems disingenuous. It’s not like the option that they chose said “Judge Judy”. I wouldn’t even have known that Judith Sheindlin is her real name and not just a generic old lady name.
I would wager the majority of American college grads can’t name all 9 SCOTUS justices (or even all 4 women), and if you’re just guessing then any choice that isn’t obviously wrong (like “Judge Judy”) has around the same chance of being chosen as any other not obviously wrong option.
4 in 10 Americans say SCOTUS makes decisions based on ideology instead of the law, but they’re cool with that because it’s their ideology too.
Happy cake day, FlyingSquid.
Thanks!
It’s because Republicans are skewing the numbers. 84% of Democrats and 73% of Independents understand the Supreme Court is a joke.
I bet a chunk of those republicans are mad that the court is “too liberal”
Republicans are the worst
