Can Americans’ trust in the Supreme Court be restored?
This past week, the Supreme Court handed down a series of major opinions: on the powers of federal agencies, on homeless encampments, and on the January 6 storming of the Capitol.
But when it comes to the Supreme Court, Americans have some major opinions of their own – that our confidence in the Court, the main tool it has to enforce its authority, has eroded.
It’s true that, according to Pew Research, our trust in the Supreme Court has never been lower.
Most Americans disagreed with the Court’s decisions on abortion and unlimited campaign donations, and then we got headlines about justices receiving gifts.
According to investigations by ProPublica, The New York Timesand others, Justice Clarence Thomas has accepted more than $4 million worth of gifts from conservative billionaires, including destination vacations, private jet and helicopter flights, VIP passes to sports …