Thread by @MULawPoll

New Marquette Law School Poll offers insight on nationwide opinion on a wide range of issues related to the US Supreme Court #mulawpoll

Poll was conducted Sept. 3-13, 2019, with 1,423 adults interviewed nationwide. Margin of error is +/-3.6 percentage points. #mulawpoll

A majority of Americans have more confidence in the Supreme Court than in other parts of the federal government, new @mulawpoll finds. #mulawpoll

Confidence in the Supreme Court: 37% say “a great deal” or “quite a lot,” and 43% say “some.” #mulawpoll

By comparison, confidence in the presidency: 28% say “a great deal” or “quite a lot,” 25% say “some.” #mulawpoll

And for confidence in the Congress, 10% say “a great deal” or “quite a lot,” and 40% say “some.” @mulawpoll

When asked which branch of fed govt is trusted the most, 57% say Supreme Court, 22% say Congress, 21% say the presidency. #mulawpoll

Those who pay “high attention” to politics have more confidence in Supreme Court (46% high confidence) than those with “low attention to politics” (20% high confidence). #mulawpoll

Republicans have higher confidence in the Court than Democrats (54% to 34% saying “high confidence”). #mulawpoll

Those who describe themselves as very conservative or conservative have higher confidence in the court than those who are liberal or very liberal. #mulawpoll

Overall, 33% of US voters describe the Court as “conservative,” 50% as “moderate,” and 9% as “liberal.” #mulawpoll

Few voters nationwide see the Court as taking extremely liberal or extremely conservative positions, although views of the Court differ by partisanship. #mulawpoll

Those who pay most attention to politics are more likely to describe the Court as conservative. #mulawpoll

Increasing the number of justices on the court: 43% favor or strongly favor, 57% oppose or strongly oppose. #mulawpoll

A majority of the public opposes increasing the number of justices even as a majority supports limiting how long justices may serve. #mulawpoll

Setting fixed terms for justices: 72% either favor or strongly favor, 28% oppose or strongly oppose. #mulawpoll

Limiting Supreme Court power to rule that acts of Congress are unconstitutional: 38% strongly favor or favor, 62% oppose or strongly oppose. #mulawpoll

Political conservatives are more favorable to the current make-up and decisions of the Supreme Court than liberals are. #mulawpoll

Would senator be justified in opposing a qualified Supreme Court nominee because the nominee is from a different political party? Justified 19%, not justified 81%, #mulawpoll

Would senators be justified in opposing a qualified Supreme Court nominee only because of decisions the nominee might make? Justified 38%, not justified 62%. #mulawpoll

Was it right for Republicans to block nomination of Merrick Garland by President Obama in 2016, an election year? Yes 27%, no 73%. #mulawpoll

If there is a vacancy in 2020 and President Trump nominates someone, what should the Senate do? Hold hearings 69%, don’t hold hearings 31%. #mulawpoll

Overall opinion on past Supreme Court decisions: Citizens United on corporate political spending: 75% oppose the court decision allowing it. #mulawpoll

Use of race as a factor in college admissions: 78% oppose the court allowing that. #mulawpoll

Partisan gerrymanders: 45% oppose court decision that it didn’t have authority to get involved, 26% favor the court decision. #mulawpoll

Allowing private companies not to pay for employees’ coverage including birth control: 63% oppose decision to allow that, 27% favor. #mulawpoll

President Trump’s travel ban against citizens of five Muslim-majority countries: 49% oppose court decision upholding the ban, 42% favor the decision. #mulawpoll

Same-sex marriage: 56% favor Supreme Court decision allowing it, 36% oppose the decision. #mulawpoll

Right to bear firearms: 67% favor Supreme Court decision in 2008 upholding individual’s right to possess a gun, 24% oppose. #mulawpoll

Overall opinion on possible upcoming Court decisions: Overturning Roe v. Wade and abortion rights: 29% favor overturning Roe, 61% oppose. #mulawpoll

Ending DACA program allowing those who entered US illegally as children to stay: 37% favor ending DACA, 53% oppose that. #mulawpoll

Allowing a business owner to deny service to gay people on religious grounds: 34% favor that, 57% oppose that. #mulawpoll

Using public funds to benefit students attending religious schools: 53% favor that, 33% oppose that. #mulawpoll

Striking down the ACA/Obamacare law: 38% favor that, 52% oppose that. #mulawpoll

Banning semi-automatic rifles: 39% favor that, 53% oppose that. #mulawpoll

Including LGBTQ people in protections against employment discrimination: 61% favor that, 30% oppose that. #mulawpoll

Majorities support some decisions or potential decisions involving abortion, gay rights, and banning semi-automatic rifles that are generally labeled liberal. #mulawpoll

But majorities favor court decisions including right to possess firearms and allowing public funds to support students in religious schools that are considered conservative. #mulawpoll

Personal rating of Supreme Court justices, from highest favorable to lowest: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 41% favorable, 17% unfavorable, 41% unable to rate. #mulawpoll

Sonia Sotomayor: 30% favorable, 11% unfavorable, 59% unable to rate. #mulawpoll

Clarence Thomas: 28% favorable, 23% unfavorable, 49% unable to rate. #mulawpoll

Brett Kavanaugh: 26% favorable, 32% unfavorable, 42% unable to rate. #mulawpoll

John Roberts: 25% favorable, 9% unfavorable, 66% unable to rate. #mulawpoll

Neil Gorsuch: 18% favorable, 12% unfavorable, 70% unable to rate. #mulawpoll

Samuel Alito: 15% favorable, 8% unfavorable, 78% unable to rate. #mulawpoll

Elena Kagan: 15% favorable, 7% unfavorable, 78% unable to rate. #mulawpoll

Stephen Breyer: 11% favorable, 5% unfavorable, 84% unable to rate. #mulawpoll

How many justices do people have an opinion on, favorable or unfavorable: All nine, 8%; eight justices, 4%; seven justices, 6%; six justices, 8%. #mulawpoll

How many justices do people have an opinion on, favorable or unfavorable: five justices, 8%; four justices, 9%; three justices, 9%; two justices, 9%; one justice, 11%. #mulawpoll

28% percent of those polled had no opinion on any justice. #mulawpoll

In general, what most motivates Supreme Court justices’ decisions? 36% say “mainly politics,” while 64% say “mainly the law.” #mulawpoll

Should decisions be based on what was originally meant when constitution was approved or on evolving meaning of constitution? 43% say “original meaning,” 57% say “evolving meaning.” #mulawpoll

What is more important -- that a decision has a fair outcome or that it follows the law even if unfair? 56% say fair outcome, 44% say outcome that follows the law. #mulawpoll

If President Trump makes another nomination, how confident are you it will be the right kind of person? 32% “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence,” 56% “very little” or no confidence. #mulawpoll

Full results may be found at law.marquette.edu/poll/