The sound of silence: SCOTUS’ biggest comms strength and weakness
Silence used to be the courts’ secret weapon. But things have changed in the era of partisan politics.
Twenty-one years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court declared George Bush President of the United States. The Court’s decision came after five weeks of legal battles between Bush and Democratic Party presidential nominee Al Gore.
While the ruling was contrary to public opinion — Gore won a majority of votes — 60% of Americans still approved of how the Court did its job. Furthermore, 50% of people said they had significant to great confidence in the Court as an institution.
Today, public confidence in the Court has deteriorated. A Gallup survey taken before the Court overturned Roe v. Wade showed that just 25% of Americans have significant to great confidence in the Court. This downward trend has its roots in both parties’ displeasure with various rulings surrounding healthcare, abortion, corporate free speech and religious liberty; and Gallup’s new results frame a recent drop among Democrats and Independents around abortion decisions.
What created the slide in the Court’s longstanding popularity? One of its greatest institutional strengths and weaknesses: Silence, no matter what.
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