It used to be that the political Supreme Court justices were confirmed with bipartisan approval. This meant that the court's decisions generally fell within the national consensus and the judges received national respect.
Now, we have a new phenomenon where every justice is confirmed by an approximately 51-49 party line vote. And moreover, because the Senate is highly weighted towards one party (as small rural states get the same vote as big urban states), the politics of the Supreme Court are quickly becoming very different from the politics of the nation.
I suspect the new state of affairs - where 5 or 6 unelected politicians-for-life who aren't respected by most voters create laws that most voters disagree with - is unsustainable.
Now, we have a new phenomenon where every justice is confirmed by an approximately 51-49 party line vote. And moreover, because the Senate is highly weighted towards one party (as small rural states get the same vote as big urban states), the politics of the Supreme Court are quickly becoming very different from the politics of the nation.
I suspect the new state of affairs - where 5 or 6 unelected politicians-for-life who aren't respected by most voters create laws that most voters disagree with - is unsustainable.