Zoltan,
Thanks for your post.
You see, senex, your Gallup figures are as stale as you are.
If I'm not mistaken, prior polling data tends to be stale by the very nature of being prior.
Of the 3 numbers, 58%, 59%, and 62%. 58% is the lowest. But of course that doesn't matter very much, because when you consider the statistical margin of error they all run in the same statistical band. Hence there is no discerable trend over the nominal period of one year. But even if there were, that doesn't matter either, because if one looks at the historical data of Supreme Court approval ratings this is no statistical correlation with Presidential terms, i.e., they go up and down within a term. So it would have equal value and importance to look at who won the Superbowl and compare it against the Court's approval ratings.
But even if there was a historical correlation [which there is not], it would most likely be a statistical coincidence. What's significant is the composition of the Court over time, particularly since they are lifetime appointments. And of course the composition of the Court has not changed over the polling period that you are focused on. Then there is the issue of relevance of public opinion to the Court. What does that mean? The selection of the Court was specifically intended by the Framers to be free from the vagarities of public opinion. To make judgements on Constitutional interpretation without being influence by public opinion. So it's certainly conceivable that the Court can make have an opinion that the public strongly disagrees with. Does that imply that the Court is wrong and the public understands Constitutional law better than the Court? Let's say I'm doubtfull.
Then there's the whole subject whether the public has even a grasp what decisions the Court makes. Prior surveys show that the public barely knows who the Vice President is by name. The number of people that know a fraction of the decisions that the Court makes within a session I would guess is quite small. An occasional high profile case gets some of the publics attention, but how many people do you think could name 5 cases decided by the Supreme Court in the last session? Personally, I think the general public's positive ratings on the Supreme Court have more to do with the Court wears nifty robes.
But what the heck, I'll just roll over and say that your absolutely correct, the Court's approval ratings have spiked up since the corrupt Dems were thrown out of office in a humilating landslide. Since the composition of the Court has not changed and is not influenced by the Administration it just goes to show you how stupid the respondents to the poll were.
Besides Gallup and Pew, there are other polls which also confirm that the Supremes did well by US.
Absolutely true. Had you made that point originally, I would have agreed wholeheartedly with it. And that's a good thing to know; but isn't this sort of information below a bit more important and relevent to the moment.
washingtonpost.com
jttmab |
