According to a new survey, Americans view the Supreme Court unfavorably in the wake of its decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
Spokesman Steve Greenberg says in the New York Times/Siena College poll, 53% of American voters view the Supreme Court unfavorably.
"Compared to 41% who viewed the court favorably. Republicans overwhelmingly viewed the Supreme Court favorably," said Greenberg. "Democrats overwhelmingly viewed the Supreme Court unfavorably. Independents tilt unfavorable, but only by a 55 to 40% margin. Similarly, we asked voters, 'do you think that Supreme Court decisions are based on the Constitution and law? Or do you think that they're based on the political views of the justices?' By better than two to one, 63-30%, American voters say that the Supreme Court decisions are based more on the political views of the justices, rather than on the Constitution and the law."
Voters were asked how they felt about the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade:
"Voters oppose the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, and eliminated the constitutional right to abortion," Greenberg said.
"And we followed it up by asking voters 'do you think abortion should be always most or mostly legal? Or do you think abortion should be mostly illegal are always illegal?' And what we find there is that by 65 to 26%, American say they believe that abortion should be legal, in all or most cases, only about a quarter of voters say that abortion should be illegal in all or most cases."
Greenberg notes that by 53-41%, voters say America’s political system is too divided politically to solve its problems. 69% say voting makes a difference in how government works, compared to 28% who say voting doesn’t make a difference.
Mirroring a closely divided congress, Greenberg says voters are closely divided on who they want to win this November.
"The Senate is 50-50," said Greenberg. "In the House, the Democrats have a razor thin majority in the in the 435 person House of Representatives. So we asked voters 'after the November election, who do you want to control Congress, the Democrats or the Republicans?' Well, it's virtually down the middle. 41% of voters say they'd like to see the Democrats control Congress. 40% say they would like to see the Republicans control Congress. Not surprisingly, 90% of Republicans want the Republicans in control. 90% of Democrats want the Democrats in control, and independents? Divided down the middle. 35% want to see the Democrats in charge. 34% want the Republicans in charge."
Hudson Valley Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney, a Democrat from the 18th district, is running the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s midterm efforts. He spoke on WAMC’s Congressional Corner Thursday:
"What success looks like is is people understanding that this is a choice, that that this is a choice between a MAGA Republican Party that is characterized by a violent attack on the Capitol and effort to steal an election and overturn the peaceful transfer of power, by the overturning of 50 years of reproductive freedom and trashing Roe v. Wade, and by ignoring the gun violence that is wreaking havoc at July 4th parades and school classrooms and public spaces and places of worship," Maloney said.
Greenberg says voters were also asked to weigh in on January 6th.
"What we find is that voters saying that the Capitol riots were an attempt to overthrow the government, not simply a protest that got out of hand, but narrowly, 49% say the Capitol riots were an attempt to overthrow the government, a plurality, but 42% say they were protests that got out of hand," Greenberg said. "Similarly, 49% of Americans think that Trump committed serious federal crimes in the aftermath of the 2020 elections, while 40% of voters disagree with that and say they don't think he did. Obviously huge partisan divides. About three quarters of Republicans disagree with both of those statements, and the vast majority of Democrats agree with both of them."
Here is additional survey information.
