Supreme Court Poll Shows Stupid Americans are Stupid

With all the recent talk about Obamacare and the role of the Supreme Court, it's useful to stop and remember just how little Americans know about the judicial body that will control their access to affordable health care.

According to this incredible Pew poll, the majority of Americans cannot even name the chief justice…

Who is the Chief Justice of the United States?

Don't know: 53%
John Roberts: 28%
Thurgood Marshall: 8%
John Paul Stevens: 6%
Harry Reid: 4%

It's pretty sad that 53% of the country can't identify the leader of one of our three branches of government. Even worse, it was a multiple-choice question. Even worse-er, a bunch of people thought the chief justice was Thurgood Marshall, who retired 20 years ago. I guess we should just be happy most respondents could tie their own shoes.

This poll really puts into perspective just how staggeringly uninformed Americans are when it comes to basic issues of government. Which, come to think of it, might explain the temporary popularity of Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain and Rick Perry last fall.

Well, good thing we don't let all these people do anything important. Like, you know, pick the President of the United States. That would be a total disaster — Oh, right…

Photo by Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call Group/Getty Images

Tags: Harry Reid, Health Care, John Paul Stevens, John Roberts, Judiciary, Laws, Polls, Supreme Court

From the Pork Barrel: American Mustaches

* It took me way waaaaay too long to figure out why all Jon Huntsman's daughters are wearing mustaches in this campaign ad for their dad. #iamkindofalittlestupid

* Google vs. Romney: The battle of the machines begins.

* Is there a legal precedent for a Supreme Court Justice seeking a Colbert Bump?

* Speaker John Boehner not taking sides in GOP primaries. Anybody who really really annoys Obama is fine with him.

* WorldNetDaily's top ten reasons a Christian shouldn't vote for Mitt Romney. (In case you're wondering, Mormonism is not one of them.)

 

Tags: Christianity, Google, House of Representatives, John Boehner, John Paul Stevens, Jon Huntsman, Judiciary, Mitt Romney, Mormon, Pork Barrel, Primaries, Religion, Republicans, Robots Are Dope!, Stephen Colbert, Supreme Court, The Colbert Report

The Daily Show Presides Over The Best Supreme Court Appointee Moments

While America waits with baited breath to find out why Elena Kagan — Obama's choice for Supreme Court appointment — is the evilest woman to ever walk the Earth, here's a collection of Daily Show clips on Supreme Court appointments to help us get a running start at over-reacting…

August 6, 2009: White Men Can't Judge – Sotomayor Confirmation

The Daily Show airs Monday through Thursday at 11pm / 10c.

More videos after the jump…

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Tags: Antonin Scalia, Arlen Specter, Elena Kagan, George W. Bush, Harriet Miers, John Paul Stevens, John Roberts, Jon Stewart, Robert Bork, Samuel Alito, Sandra Day O'Connor, Senate, Sonia Sotomayor, Supreme Court, Ted Kennedy, The Daily Show

Introducing Elena Kagan, the Jewish Wise Latina

This morning, Barack Obama announced his choice of Supreme Court nominee to replace that old guy, whatever his name is — George Paul Ringo or something — and she appears, at first blush, to be a woman…

President Obama nominated Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court on Monday, picking her to fill the seat being vacated by retiring Justice John Paul Stevens…

Kagan, 50, received her law degree from Harvard University, where she later served as dean of the law school. She previously served in the Clinton administration as associate White House counsel… As solicitor general, she is the administration's top lawyer before the Supreme Court and has argued several high-profile cases before the justices since taking the job in spring 2009.

Wow! She seems really, really, really… woman-ish!

A woman?! But, but, but… That would mean… Three out of nine Supreme Court Justices on the bench would be women! Why, that's almost one-third! That's never happened before. And I'm pretty sure it's statistically unrepresentative of Supreme Court Justices in everyday life.

Will Republicans stand for such a travesty?

"You have to admit, Elena Kagan is a brilliant woman," Sen. Orrin Hatch, a Republican on the Judiciary Committee, said during a radio interview a year ago when Kagan was being vetted for a high court seat. "She is a brilliant lawyer. If [Obama] picks her, it is a real dilemma for people"…

Yep. Not just a brilliant woman, but also a brilliant lawyer. She can do both of those things very well. Often at at the same time. So, yeah, "the people" will have a real "dilemma" on their hands alright? Oh, what a pickle they'll find themselves in. Can you even imagine what a spot that would put "the people" in if such a brilliant lawyer were nominated for the bench. I feel so, so bad for "the people."

Oh, did we forget to mention? Kagan is also a brilliant Jew…

Her confirmation also would mean that the Supreme Court would have no Protestant justices for the first time in its history. Kagan, who is Jewish, would join six Catholic and two Jewish justices.

Not to mention, possibly, a brilliantly closeted lesbian…

[I]t's suprsingly difficult to find information abotu Kagan's personal life. According to one (very, very sketchy) Internet message board , Kagan is "with a female former partner of another leading legal academic."

Poor "the people." They're going to have a such a difficult time spending the next several months demonizing this brilliant woman/brilliant lawyer/brilliant Jew/brilliant possible lesbian. My heart just goes out for them.

Tags: Barack Obama, Elena Kagan, Jewish, John Paul Stevens, LGBT, Men and Women, Orrin Hatch, Senate, Supreme Court

Jon Stewart on the Retirement of Justice John Paul Stevens

On last night's Daily Show, Jon Stewart reported on Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens's announcement that he will retire from the bench this Summer. While I'm sad to see Stevens go, I am excited that this probably means he'll have more time to write a sequel to No Exit, voice Darth Vader and captain the USS Enterprise.

The Daily Show airs Monday through Thursday at 11pm / 10c.

For quick summaries of recent episodes, be sure to visit Intel's Daily Show in :60 Seconds page.

Tags: John Paul Stevens, Jon Stewart, Supreme Court, The Daily Show, Video