Changes

== The Supreme Court ==

== The Supreme Court ==

From about 1975 to the end of 2008, the Supreme Court has grown increasingly conservative (as has the nation, in your teacher's view).  The 7-2 vote in favor of legalized abortion in ''Roe v. Wade'' in 1972 had narrowed to an expected 5-4 level of support by the end of 2008, or perhaps the Court is now split 4-4 with one undecided on the issue.  This court did rule 5-4 ''against'' a right to partial-birth abortion, which is a most heinous form of abortion.

From about 1975 to the end of 2008, the Supreme Court has grown increasingly conservative (as has the nation, in your teacher's view).  The 7-2 vote in favor of legalized abortion in ''Roe v. Wade'' in 1972 had narrowed to an expected 5-4 level of support by the end of 2008, or perhaps the Court is now split 4-4 with one undecided on the issue.  This Court did rule 5-4 ''against'' a right to partial-birth abortion, which is a most heinous form of abortion, and in November 2013 by a 5-4 vote the Court allowed a pro-life Texas law to go into effect, which prohibits abortion by someone who lacks nearby hospital privileges.

President George W. Bush appointed two strong conservatives to the Supreme Court during his presidency:  Chief Justice John Roberts and Samuel Alito, who is from New Jersey.  The liberal Justices tend to be older, while the more conservative Justices are younger.  But after 2008, President Obama nominated two young liberals to the Supreme Court, ensuring that the Court would be almost equally divided between conservatives and liberals for the foreseeable future.  Perhaps because it is nearly equally divided, the Court accepting fewer cases for its review (i.e., the Court is "denying cert." more often).

President George W. Bush appointed two strong conservatives to the Supreme Court during his presidency:  Chief Justice John Roberts and Samuel Alito, who is from New Jersey.  The liberal Justices tend to be older, while the more conservative Justices are younger.  But after 2008, President Obama nominated two young liberals to the Supreme Court, ensuring that this Court would be almost equally divided between conservatives and liberals for the foreseeable future.  Perhaps because it is nearly equally divided, the Supreme Court accepting fewer cases for its review (i.e., the Court is "denying cert." more often).

State supreme courts have been deciding the issue of same-sex marriage.  In 2003, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled by a 4-3 margin, in ''Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health'', that its state Constitution required issuing same-sex marriage licenses.  In 2008, a 4-3 vote of the California Supreme Court mandated marriage licenses for homosexual couples, but in November California voters overturned that decision by adding a provision ("Proposition 8") to the California Constitution specifying that marriage is between only a man and woman.  Most states have banned same-sex marriage.

State supreme courts have been deciding the issue of same-sex marriage.  In 2003, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled by a 4-3 margin, in ''Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health'', that its state Constitution required issuing same-sex marriage licenses.  In 2008, a 4-3 vote of the California Supreme Court mandated marriage licenses for homosexual couples, but in November California voters overturned that decision by adding a provision ("Proposition 8") to the California Constitution specifying that marriage is between only a man and woman.  Most states have banned same-sex marriage.