Correct: if you're worried about backlash to expanding the courts, just do it early. Remember how 90% of the earth-shattering events of the Trump administration seemed to be forgotten a couple months later? The public has a short memory.
This gets to a deeper truth:
Usually, despite the pundit/Democratic obsession with polls, public opinion just doesn't matter in politics. Most political events simply don't end up affecting elections. Outcomes are a product of elite decisions, not nebulous public sentiment.
Republicans do incredibly unpopular things all the time - like, things that poll -30 or -40 against. It doesn't matter! The public only gets to weigh in periodically, indirectly, and a lot of other factors affect that decision. For the most part, it's fine to ignore the public.
A whole lot of liberals and moderates act as if, should anyone make a political choice that polls even slightly underwater, the American Voter Hivemind will manifest itself and just, like, smite that person down.
The GOP understands this won't happen, and proceeds accordingly.
It's not enough to ask if a political decision or policy is unpopular. You also have to ask about the exact MECHANISM that will translate unpopularity into negative outcomes. (Vague handwaving over elections doesn't count.)
And usually, there isn't one!
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.