Most Americans Think Supreme Court Is ‘Out Of Touch’

Survey results come as new term begins

By Sabrina Walsh

A majority of Americans believe the U.S. Supreme Court is “out of touch” with the values and beliefs of the country and support ending lifetime terms for justices, a new poll found.

After the current court struck down Roe v. Wade in June and ended federal protections for abortion, the public’s confidence is dwindling, according to a Monmouth University Polling Institute survey released Friday.

Up until this summer, the court “was not on the radar for many Americans,” Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, commented. But, “recent decisions have moved some from being on the fence to having a negative opinion,” he said.

Takeaways

Public opinion of the court was evenly divided in a March poll conducted by Monmouth University, but disapproval moved into majority territory after news leaked in May of the impending abortion decision.

The latest poll found that 54% of Americans disapprove of the job the court is doing and that 59% believe the justices are out of touch.

Partisan Views

According to the results,

Eighty-three percent of Democrats and 62% of Independents felt the court was out of touch, while 32% of Republicans agreed

More women (64%) than men (54%) and more people of color (65%) than white non-Hispanic Americans (56%) said the court was out of touch. Also, Americans under 35 years old (70%) were more likely than those over the age of 35 (55%) to feel this way

In 2016, the court held a net positive rating (49% approve and 33% disapprove), which flipped to a negative rating in 2021 (42% approve and 45% disapprove) after the court shifted to a conservative majority.

Majority Wants To End Lifetime Terms

Additionally, 66% said they support term limits for justices, including 86% of Democrats, 63% of Independents and 51% of Republicans, according to the poll.

Currently, justices are appointed to the bench by a president for life or until they decide to step down.

“As it stands, most Americans are uncomfortable with lifetime appointments to the court, but this is not something they are really thinking about. If a term limit proposal actually entered the public debate, I expect Republican opinion would move against it based on the impact it could have on the court’s current ideological leaning,” said Murray.

Only 36% of respondents backed expanding the court beyond its current nine justices. While Democrats (67%) support it, just 30% of Independents and 14% of Republicans were in favor, the poll found. -North-Jersey News