# U.S. Politics is ruined, and the SCOTUS did it **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 6, 2025, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-politics-is-ruined-and-the-scotus-did-it/1019276 "2025-06-06T18:34:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Clu-Me-In](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-politics-is-ruined-and-the-scotus-did-it/1019276/1 "2025-06-06T18:34:51Z")
Ever since Obama got elected and Conservatives got stunned, they searched far and wide to find something to make sure we wouldn’t elect another… they ended up with something an Obama-type couldn’t get, and that was a group of very wealthy robber baron/Oligarch - types to anonymously flood the zone with good ole American greenbacks to counter anything that could bring a progressive back to power. Yes, U.S. Supreme Court is mostly responsible for the horrible state of our politics. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-politics-is-ruined-and-the-scotus-did-it/1019276/2 "2025-06-06T19:13:27Z")
Yes, and the only thing we can do is find some very wealthy robber baron/Oligarch - types to anonymously flood the zone with good ole American greenbacks to counter anything that would keep these non-progressives in power, and perhaps even restore SCOTUS to a respectable judicial group that cares about this country. It would soon become an Oligarch vs. Oligarch battle for the soul of our nation. You can flee to someplace truly democratic where there are few oligarchs and the people get to choose what kind of government they want. The US is a very wealthy nation, and the billionaires are getting richer every day. They are so rich now that they can control the media and sway ignorant voters to vote anyway they want them to. Welcome to America 2025. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-politics-is-ruined-and-the-scotus-did-it/1019276/3 "2025-06-06T20:03:05Z")
The SC is truly terrible right now, and it certainly has had a very deleterious influence on politics, but I don’t know if it’s as simple as “they did it.” We have a moribund constitution that makes amending it nearly impossible, so the only way to counter one bad SC decision is to hope for a better one down the road. That’s not a healthy situation. Further, Congress has more or less abdicated its governing duties and allowed the executive branch to become more power. At the same time, it may be the case that the modern polity (not just the US, but any) requires such executive power in order to function. In a parliamentary democracy, the executive branch in the form of the PM comes from the legislative branch, so it may be less noticeable than it is in the US. My personal opinion is that we need a new governing system and economic system, since the current systems can’t be patched up. Thus, a better or more well-meaning SC would be nice, but it wouldn’t be enough to get us out of the mess we’re in. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-politics-is-ruined-and-the-scotus-did-it/1019276/4 "2025-06-06T21:14:37Z")
And SCOTUS just gave DOGE access to SSA data: > **[Supreme Court grants Trump’s urgent bid for DOGE to have access to Social...](https://www.msnbc.com/deadline-white-house/deadline-legal-blog/supreme-court-trump-doge-social-security-data-access-rcna206371)** > > The federal government had asked the justices to halt a judge’s order blocking DOGE from sensitive Social Security information. ---
**Author:** ![redpoint5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@redpoint5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redpoint5)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2025, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-politics-is-ruined-and-the-scotus-did-it/1019276/5 "2025-06-09T09:28:27Z")
I mean, Clinton spent $132M vs Trump’s $94M in her defeat. Biden spent $273M vs Trump’s $209 in his win in 2020. Harris spent $880M to lose to Trump’s $355M win. I don’t think you’ve figured out how to reconcile those numbers and results through a sufficient process of reason. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2025, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-politics-is-ruined-and-the-scotus-did-it/1019276/6 "2025-06-09T13:17:24Z")
I don’t believe those numbers are complete–I think they refer to what the candidates are spending and don’t include what others are spending on the campaigns–for example Elon Musk’s expenditures. Many of the rich find the Democrats views more attractive–for example massive tariffs are rejected by the majority of the rich–as massive tariffs would hurt them financially. None of the analysis of why the Democrats lost I have read say it is because the Democrats didn’t have enough money for their campaigns. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2025, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-politics-is-ruined-and-the-scotus-did-it/1019276/7 "2025-06-09T20:36:47Z")
You have to wonder what the free massive media coverage that was almost entirely in Trump’s favor would be worth if it was charged like the paid ad it practically was. I know someone tried to calculate the value Trump got out of the media coverage in 2016 and it was in the billions, and the coverage was way more in his favor in 2024 with all the sane washing abd the hypercritical testament of Harris ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2025, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-politics-is-ruined-and-the-scotus-did-it/1019276/8 "2025-06-09T23:14:24Z")
It’s like Murder on the Orient Express. Everybody is guilty, some by commission and some by omission. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-politics-is-ruined-and-the-scotus-did-it/1019276/9 "2025-06-10T04:30:19Z")
Akshually, in the book, they were all pretty much guilty by commission. Twelve stab wounds and all that. [scurries away] ---
**Author:** ![redpoint5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@redpoint5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redpoint5)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-politics-is-ruined-and-the-scotus-did-it/1019276/10 "2025-06-10T06:21:29Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > None of the analysis of why the Democrats lost I have read say it is because the Democrats didn’t have enough money for their campaigns. … you’ve sussed out my point; that campaign money is only 1 of many relevant factors. I was dropping clues for Clu-Me-In to chew on, since they’re so curious. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2025, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-politics-is-ruined-and-the-scotus-did-it/1019276/11 "2025-06-21T12:51:47Z")
In a more rational world, the SC would be comprised of people who are smart enough, and _wise_ enough, to see through a braggadocious asshole like trump, and try to keep him in rein. Instead, we have a SC that seems to be as enthralled with him as the fucking “front row joes”.