Citizens United and Voting Rights Act decisions have dented American trust as Supreme Court losing support | Democracy, elections, and voting

Objection! Americans: opinion of Supreme Court can’t keep dropping

The Christian Science Monitor

Copyright ImageClick to View US Chief Justice John Roberts speaks to students and guests at the Robert H. Jackson Center in Jamestown, N.Y., May 17. Op-ed contributor Robert A. Schapiro writes: ‘Ironically, the several attempts of the justices to duck.

ATLANTA — Last month, the Pew Research Center reported that for the first time in its nearly 30 years of polling , the favorability rating of the US Supreme Court fell below 50 percent. Only 48 percent of the public has a positive view of the court. Perhaps more disturbing, the current level reflects a steady trend. The court’s approval fell below 60 percent in 2010 and has been sliding ever since.

Public confidence in the judiciary provides a critical foundation for a society committed to the rule of law. As America’s unelected justices confront controversial questions, the legitimacy of their decisions depends on public support for the institution. The court must rely on other government officials, including elected leaders and law enforcement officers, to implement its rulings. Examples around the world suggest that obedience to judicial decisions may well depend on the level of respect that the courts enjoy.