57% of Americans can't name any current Sup. Court Justice

[rumpel]

http://public.findlaw.com/ussc/122005survey.html

FindLaw's US Supreme Court Awareness Survey

According to a December 2005 national survey conducted by FindLaw, only 43 percent of American adults can name at least one justice who is currently serving on the nation's highest court. Fifty-seven percent of Americans can't name any current U.S. Supreme Court justices.

[madaboutharry]

1. That is rather scary.

I wonder how that compares to adults in other countries. For instance, can the Norwegians, Japanese, or French name the people serving on their high courts? I wonder.

[elehhhhna]

3. They probably know OUR USSC Justices better than "we" do.

[KitSileya]

34. Actually, most Norwegians can't.

However, that's because the Supreme Court isn't as important a part of government the way SCOTUS is in the US. The specific people on it aren't anywhere near as important as on SCOTUS. They don't go through the same confirmation system as American Justices do.


Despite the multi-party system in Norway, there's a lot less political polarization in Norwegian politics. We mostly disagree on financial issues, not on social ones - the right to abortion, protection against discrimination, religious freedom etc are pretty much unanimous issues in Norwegian society. In addition, the multi-party ystem ensures a more diverse political reality - it's not either/or in terms of choices.

As for American Justices - O'Connor, Ginsburg, Kennedy, Scalia, Thomas, Roberts. From the top of my head, anyway. Souter? But then, I've been a member of DU since 2002.

[HockeyMom]

2. Half don't even know where the Pacific Ocean is

so we are surprised that they cannot name a Supreme Court Judge???? Hello, BUSH VOTERS.

[bunny planet]

4. Frightening, really frightening.

[incapsulated]

5. And yet, according to the polls, they all want Alito

Americans are full of shit. They don't want to sound stupid on the phone. And we get screwed for decades.

[enough]

6. No wonder its hard to get Americans worked up about the

Unitary Presidency theory, or about Congress abrogating its constitutional duties.

[Pam-Moby]

7. That does not suprise me. They are all republician that took the survey!

:rofl:

[TomInTib]

8. This should come as no surprise...

The 'pubs know the US is the least enlightened of the industrial countries.

"Hain't we got all the fools in town on our side? And hain't that a majority anywhere?" M Twain

[Iris]

9. And that's why there are so many people who say "There's nothing you can

do about it" when heinous laws are passed.

[Nikki Stone 1]

10. That 43% are the politically aware on both sides, I would think

The other 57% are the vast middle who don't know what the issues are in an election and respond to the pretty TV pictures of dogs, families, and men with too-perfect rugs.

[MazeRat7]

11. Why am I not surprised considering less than that even bother to vote.

[don954]

12. lets see

roberts
O'connor
Kennedy
Stevens
Scaila
Breyer
Thomas
Ginsburg
Souter

What prize do i win? :)

[seabeyond]

14. show off. oconner doesnt count, she quit. and alito isnt there yet

breyer, souter and kennedy. easy enough. i forgot. brain fart. thanks.... was going mad

[Nikki Stone 1]

18. Your prize is continued responsibility to your fellow Americans

Somebody's gotta do it.

[seabeyond]

13. i only came up with 5. roberts, thomas, scalia, ginsberg (spelling

doesnt count), stevens,

yikes

[justabob]

24. Souter(?), Kennedy and alito/oconner

I think that's it. :shrug:

edit: oops, I forgot one... I had to look it up though... Breyer

[alphafemale]

15. And probably 85% could name all the castaways on Gilligan's Island

pathetic

[theHandpuppet]

17. Ouch! Oh that was good -- and too true

:rofl:

[alphafemale]

22. Yeah...but what was the Professor's first name?

hmmm?

:rofl:

[TahitiNut]

26. Roy

[alphafemale]

28. eeek!

Did you really know that or did you look it up?

[TahitiNut]

30. I cannot tell a lie.

:evilgrin:

[Buns_of_Fire]

37. "Gilligan's Island" had a catchy theme song. The Supreme Court doesn't.

Yet. Now sit right back, and you'll hear a tale... :evilgrin:

(On edit: And no, "Baby Love" is NOT the Supreme Court's theme song!)

[alphafemale]

39. Oh the possibilities....

:evilgrin:

[serryjw]

16. F*CK...Roberts was just confirmed

and they don't know his name? I'd even give you 'brownie points' if you named Rehnquist...He isn't dead that long! :sarcasm:

[DemGirl7]

19. No big surprise there....

Come on there's alot of people who can't even identify the Vice President, but they have no problem when it comes to identifying celebrities.I find it disgusting, and the sad thing as I've learned from personal experience, is that when you try to bring it up, people look at you funny and say something stupid like "you need to get a life" and "you shouldn't pay attention to politics so much".

[mandyky]

20. Let's see if I can name all 9

without looking -
Breyer(sp)
Suitor (sp)
Kennedy
Ginsberg
O'Connor
Thomas
Scalia
Roberts

I am missing one but can't see who...

on edit and peeking -
Stevens

[DanCa]

21. color me shocked......

[deadparrot]

23. That's appalling.

Especially after we just went through a SCOTUS appointment within the last 6 months.

[Spider Jerusalem]

25. 57% of Americans can't find their own backside...

with a map, a flashlight, and a GPS reader. This comes as no surprise.

[TahitiNut]

27. My 86-year-old mother with dementia and a high school education ...

... and with no political interest whatsoever was able to name Sandra Day O'Conner. To think that 57% of the people in this country can't even name one is beyond appalling.

[LibDemAlways]

29. A few years ago c-span cameras

followed then Sen. Tom Daschle around South Dakota during a summer recess. He drove the state, stopping in small towns to speak with constituents along the way. One stop was a diner off the interstate. It was immediately clear that no one recognized him, had any idea who he was -- with the exception of one family visiting the US from France. The French adults recognized him immediately, shook his hand and explained to their children that this man was "The Democratic Majority leader in the United States Senate." I'll never forget that. It made quite an impression.

I'm shocked that 43% know the name of a member of the Supreme Court. I'm thinking the pollsters may have fudged a bit and accepted Diana Ross as a correct answer.

[LaPera]

31. And we can name all three...Hmmm...

Kennedy, Scalia, Thomas, Roberts, O'Connor, Breyer, Stevens, Ginsburg and...Shit, can't think of the ninth...without the great, Google....but I do know it...Hmmm....

Hopefully NEVER Alito!

Help!

Edit: Spelling of "Breyer"

[LaPera]

32. Ah, I cheated...Oh yeah, Souter!

Thank you Google...doesn't count though. And I really did know it too...Still, thank you Google!

[Nutmegger]

33. Yeah, that sounds about right.

More than half can't do simple math (I worked in retail, it's sad). Too much fancy book larning!

[Libby2]

35. How sad is that?

It says much about how the king and his minions got into office.

[Fox Mulder]

36. That's really pathetic.

And sad.

My God.

[AtomicKitten]

38. But damned if they won't demand Alito be confirmed.

The GOP counts on the ignorance of the masses.

[hang a left]

40. That is good ammo right there....

Next time some stupid mfer tells you that Alito should be confirmed, put the son of a bisquit on the spot and ask him to name the justices on the court. When he can't....tell him since he obviously doesn't know wtf he is talking about he can shut the hell up.

Off topic: I become more profane when sleep deprived.

[usregimechange]

41. But 95% know that an activist judge is bad.