Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Top Stories

With abortion decision looming, trust in Supreme Court hits new low

With abortion decision looming, trust in Supreme Court hits new low

Law enforcement personnel guard the front of the Supreme Court on Tuesday. The court is set to announce a number of high-profile decisions before the end of June.

Nathan Howard/Getty Images

With more than two dozen cases still to be decided by the Supreme Court this month – including what will surely be divisive rulings on abortion rights and gun control – the justices are likely to take a beating in the court of public opinion. With Americans’ trust in the court already below 50 percent, any additional drop will be a new low point.

The latest polling by Morning Consult found just 46 percent of Americans have “some” or “a lot of” trust in the Supreme Court, down from a recent high of 57 percent in April.

It’s the court’s lowest score since Morning Consult began asking the question. In fact, for much of 2020 and 2021, the court’s “trust” rating exceeded 60 percent.


In early May, Politico published a draft of a majority opinion that would unwind the right to an abortion provided in Roe v. Wade. The draft reopened divisions over abortion and restarted a debate that involves science, partisanship, religion and privacy.

But, according to Justice Clarence Thomas, the leak also severely undermined faith in the Supreme Court.

“I do think that what happened at the court is tremendously bad,” he said at a conference in May. “I wonder how long we’re going to have these institutions at the rate we’re undermining them.”

By May 8, a few days after the publication of the draft opinion, trust in the court had dropped below 50 percent for the first time in Morning Consult’s tracking.

With a final ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization expected in the coming days or weeks, there’s sure to be renewed outcry. More than 60 percent of Americans believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases, but the if the final opinion reflects the draft and wipes out federal protections, each state will be able to make its own laws regarding abortion.

More than a dozen states have already passed bans or restrictions on abortion that would go into effect if Roe is overturned.

The Supreme Court is also expected to rule on a challenge to a New York law that limits carrying a concealed weapon in public. In the wake of multiple mass shootings that have spurred new action on gun violence, this ruling will also be under intense scrutiny.

The latest poll, conducted June 2-4 of 2,210 adults with a margin of error of 2 percentage points, also shows new lows for trust in Congress (33 percent), the electoral process (44 percent) and government in general (39 percent).

Read More

The Economic Models that Made America Great Are Broken

American flag and money

Javier Ghersi/Getty Images

The Economic Models that Made America Great Are Broken

We all want an America where hard work pays, families thrive, and the American Dream is real again. Greatness starts with dignity for workers, safety for communities, and a fair shot for every kid. The promise is simple: if you put in the work, you should be able to raise a family and get ahead—period.

So why do we cling to what is obviously not working for everyday people?

Keep ReadingShow less
Meet the Faces of Democracy: Neal Kelley

Neal Kelley, who served as the registrar of voters for Orange County, California for nearly two decades before retiring from the role in 2022.

Issue One.

Meet the Faces of Democracy: Neal Kelley

Editor’s note: More than 10,000 officials across the country run U.S. elections. This interview is part of a series highlighting the election heroes who are the faces of democracy.

Neal Kelley, a Republican, served as the registrar of voters for Orange County, California for nearly two decades before retiring from the role in 2022. Home to nearly 2 million voters, Orange County, part of the Greater Los Angeles area, is one of the largest jurisdictions by population in the country and the third largest in the state. Kelley is currently the Chair Emeritus of the Committee for Safe and Secure Elections, as well as the statewide project manager for the 2024-2026 elections in Hawaii.

Keep ReadingShow less
Is America Still Welcoming Global Talent?
Close up of american visa label in passport.
Getty Images/Alexander W. Helin

Is America Still Welcoming Global Talent?

A few weeks ago, when new proposals limiting J and F visa expansion were open for public comment, immigration quickly became a hot topic again at our research center, where more than half the scientists come from abroad. Some worried about their plan, others traded news and updates about the H1-B. A colleague asked if I was anxious too. To my own surprise, I wasn’t.

I used to be. But after weathering turbulent visa policies under different U.S. administrations, like many other international scholars, I have learned to stay flexible and mobile. My U.S. visa for a graduate program was delayed due to tensions between the U.S. and China several years ago. Up against a deadline for the program, I pivoted to Japan to continue the research training. What felt like a closed door became a new window: I fortunately joined a world-class team in tissue-engineering vascular medicine, broadened my view of clinical care and research, and began bridging my path as both practitioner and scientist. Committed to strengthening the “bench-to-bed” pipeline—learning real-world needs and translating research to meet them—I chose the United States again to carry this work forward.

Keep ReadingShow less