Poll: Americans favor 'conservative' court

Americans favor a "more conservative" over a "more liberal" U.S. Supreme Court by 50 percent to 31 percent, according to a recent survey.

Majorities of survey respondents also indicated they disapprove of a number of the high court's most liberal decisions, according to the survey, commissioned by American Values and the American Family Association.

The national survey, July 18 and 19, polled 800 likely general election voters throughout the United States.

Other key findings include:


When asked who they like better, "a justice who strictly applies the intent of the law without regard to his or her own policy views" or one "who corrects policies that he or she believes to be wrong, even if that requires overruling the intent of elected representatives," respondents favored the justice who strictly applies the intent of the law by 60 percent to 31 percent.

A significant majority of respondents � 61 percent � agree with the statement: "The U.S. Senate should give both Republican and Democratic presidents wide discretion in selecting nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court."

Majorities of respondents disapprove of a number of major judicial rulings at various levels on key cultural and other issues, including court decisions on the constitutionality of burning the American flag [56 percent disapprove]; local use of eminent domain for private development [89 percent disapprove]; establishing a right for same-sex couples to marry [60 percent disapprove]; ruling "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional [81 percent disapproval]; prohibiting public displays of the Ten Commandments under many circumstances [69 percent disapprove]; and protecting access to partial-birth abortion as a right [65 percent disapprove].