Only about 3 in 10 U.S. adults think justices are more likely to provide an independent check on other branches of government by being fair and impartial, poll shows.

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.

  • Veraxus
    26•3 days ago

    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.”