The Supreme Court

 The most meaningful takeaway from the video we watched in class was the emphasis on the Supreme Court being the most powerful judicial body on earth. Through Marbury vs. Madison, which established judicial review, the Supreme Court gave themselves more power than the other courts because they enabled themselves with the authority to decide the legitimacy of actions taken by the other branches of the judicial system. While there is a balance of power between the branches of government, the Supreme Court’s authority to disprove actions taken by the legislative or executive branch gives them a higher level of respect from the American people. 

The current Supreme Court

https://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/news/politics/2021/04/23/2021-united-states-supreme-court-justices/7360197002/

Something shocking I learned in the video was the number of cases the supreme court receives and accepts each year- they receive on average 7000 and accept roughly 100 of them. Even though they only accept less than 2% of the cases, very few make national headlines. Much of the Supreme Court’s work goes unseen, but they are carrying out the intentions of the Constitution to keep the United States a democracy with its power resting in the hands of the people and protecting the peoples’ rights. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court

While controversy cannot be avoided in the courtroom, opinions on the case can change and swing votes. Because the Supreme Court judges are basing their decisions off of principles of the Constitution, their opinions can and do change, given that their job is to discern what aligns with the principles of the constitution, regardless of the current political climate. This is one of the main reasons why the Supreme Court is highly respected- their decisions are fit for the long term, amidst a culture of political polarization. 

This video changed my view of the supreme court because it gave me a more accurate sense of the amount of effort that the justices go through to preserve our rights given in the constitution. If the people did not trust the court, they would make laws to lessen the court's power and not even bother to hear what they have to say. 

The United States Constitution

https://today.law.harvard.edu/are-there-holes-in-the-constitution/

After watching this video, I have more respect for the supreme court and appreciation for the decisions they make and, most significantly, how they protect our constitutional rights. My biggest takeaway from the video was that, while the supreme court is a branch of the government, its purpose is to interpret the constitution and amendments in the way which they were intended- to protect the people, and that because they protect those rights, the people trust them, which in turn allows for the court system to run successfully. Because of the power people give to the members of the supreme court out of their trust in the constitution, the power of the government rests in the hands of the people to this day, as the founders of the constitution intended, thanks to the supreme court.

https://www.history.com/news/7-things-you-might-not-know-about-the-u-s-supreme-court

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWRoXYRsaeo

https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/about.aspx