1. United States
2. Letter

The U.S. Supreme Court has issued several recent rulings that critics argue have made American democracy more fragile. Here are some key ways in which its decisions have contributed to this perception: ⸻ 1. Erosion of Voting Rights Protections • Shelby County v. Holder (2013): This landmark decision invalidated the formula used to determine which jurisdictions needed federal preclearance before changing voting laws. It effectively gutted the Voting Rights Act’s most powerful enforcement tool, leading to a wave of restrictive voting laws in states with histories of discrimination 1 (https://campaignlegal.org/update/why-current-us-supreme-court-threat-our-democracy). • Brnovich v. DNC (2021): The Court further weakened the Voting Rights Act by making it harder to prove racial discrimination in voting practices under Section 2 1 (https://campaignlegal.org/update/why-current-us-supreme-court-threat-our-democracy). ⸻ 2. Legitimizing Racial Gerrymandering • Alexander v. South Carolina NAACP (2024): The Court upheld a congressional map that civil rights groups argued diluted Black voting power. The majority ruled there wasn’t enough direct evidence that race, rather than partisanship, drove the redistricting—even though over 30,000 Black voters were moved out of a competitive district 2 (https://www.democracydocket.com/analysis/how-the-us-supreme-court-undermined-democracy-in-2024/). Critics say this decision raises the bar for proving racial gerrymandering and allows partisan gerrymanders to mask racial ones. 3. Weakening Checks on Presidential Power • In 2024, the Court issued rulings that redefined the limits of presidential authority and curtailed the power of federal agencies to interpret laws 2 (https://www.democracydocket.com/analysis/how-the-us-supreme-court-undermined-democracy-in-2024/). These decisions could shift more power to the executive branch and reduce the ability of regulatory agencies to enforce laws passed by Congress. ⸻ 4. Undermining Judicial Consistency and Legitimacy • Analysts argue that the Roberts Court has inconsistently applied legal principles, often aligning with partisan interests. This has led to a perception that the Court is no longer a neutral arbiter but a political actor 1 (https://campaignlegal.org/update/why-current-us-supreme-court-threat-our-democracy). • Public confidence in the Court has dropped to historic lows, with only 25% of Americans expressing trust in its decisions 1 (https://campaignlegal.org/update/why-current-us-supreme-court-threat-our-democracy). ⸻ 5. Impact on January 6 Prosecutions • A reinterpretation of an obstruction statute by the Court could affect hundreds of cases related to the January 6 Capitol attack, potentially weakening accountability for anti-democratic actions 2 (https://www.democracydocket.com/analysis/how-the-us-supreme-court-undermined-democracy-in-2024/). This Supreme Court is on the wrong side of history. It isn’t too late to correct these illogical partisan acts.