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Greg J
Lv 4
Greg J asked in Politics & GovernmentGovernment · 1 decade ago

How do you feel about the makeup of the Supreme Court?

The Supreme Court's current demographics:

Catholic: 77% of the Supreme Court

Jewish: 33% of the Supreme Court

Protestant: 0% of the Supreme Court***

***Stevens is the only Protestant but is scheduled to step down and be replaced by Kagan (Jew). For the sake of argument we'll assume she is approved.

Demographic of the US by Religion:

Protestants: 51.3%

Roman Catholic: 23.9%

Jewish: 1.7%

In simple terms the Supreme Court interprets the Constitution as it applies to legal cases brought before them. Their ruling overrides any lesser courts.

So what do you think of the ridiculous misrepresentation of the American public in the Supreme Court? Why does half of the population have NO representation? Why do Jews who make up less than 2% of the population hold 3 seats?

For those who will say it doesn't matter what or who they are seeing as how they aren't directly elected by the electorate. I say it does matter. As anyone with the ambition to make such political connections as to place them in a position to be nominated, definitely has an agenda. In my opinion their life experiences (religion plays a part), and agenda will directly effect how they interpret the Constitution. You can't escape that as it is human nature, however you can have like minded people representing the majority of the population, which we lack.

Discuss!

Sources:

http://www.supremecourt.gov/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US#Religion

6 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    Term limits and popular election would not be bad ideas. However then they would be subject to the same corruption that afflicts all politicians. Without severe regulation the Justice nominee with the most campaign money would win.

    Pfo: But who they are directly reflects on how they are. An individual is the make up of all their experiences. Different experiences lead to different personalities, and perceptions.

    I have a feeling it would bother you if a supreme court of non white males were to vote a majority of the time against white males. Not to say that the justices would be bigoted, but that they would not understand or comprehend the viewpoint of the white male. Only their own, and those like them.

    That's why I have to agree with the question poster that true representation of the American public would be a step in the right direction. It would also ease resentment among racial and religious divisions.

  • Pfo
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    I think it's good.

    Anyone who looks at their demographics is missing the point of the Supreme Court. Anyone of any gender, race or sexual orientation could rule any way, it should have nothing to do with who they are but rather how they are.

    I don't support packing the court with equal representation reflecting the makeup of the US. We need the best justices. I am a white male, if the best justices were not white males, that would not bother me.

  • 1 decade ago

    I whole heartily agree with Ida, Certain Justices will defy the Constitutions and define law in a Bigoted way just because they can. If one breaks the law and injures himself on your property in a burglary and sues you the stinking Courts may not define the law but the Supreme Court may rule in the bad guys favor. So if term limits are imposed they can reflect the Justice is just a Justice not a God!

  • 5 years ago

    sure, however the factors for asserting that one is a "member" of a company contains some aspects that time out that they no longer basically have been contributors yet that they had some participation in that company. The senate committee could locate none, and curiously the guy who wrote that memo had in no way heard of decide Alito. The company might have had different redeeming values. further, legal experts are required to exhibit all agencies they are contributors of, so he might are starting to be into difficulty for no longer disclosing it. i might infrequently call that being "happy along with his club".

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    I think they should be voted in by the public.

    And they all should have term limits.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    I think it's time for term limits for everybody.

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