Shocking Poll: Support Growing for States to Ignore Federal Court Orders

03 Jul, 2015 by Warner Todd Huston

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This is how the dissolution of a nation begins–but maybe that isn’t a bad thing? A new poll has found that there is growing anger against our out-of-control liberal courts and more and more people are advocating that the states simply ignore the orders from the federal courts.

During an argument with the courts President Andrew Jackson was once supposed to have said that the Supreme Court had made its decision “and now let them enforce it!” If he ever really said it is not known but what he meant was that the court could be ignored because it has no enforcement arm.

Well, here is what a new Rasmussen poll has found:

Following last week’s controversial U.S. Supreme Court rulings on Obamacare and gay marriage, voters believe more strongly that individual states should have the right to turn their backs on the federal courts.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 33% of Likely U.S. Voters now believe that states should have the right to ignore federal court rulings if their elected officials agree with them. That’s up nine points from 24% when we first asked this question in February. Just over half (52%) disagree, down from 58% in the earlier survey. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Perhaps even more disturbing is that the voters who feel strongest about overriding the federal courts – Republicans and conservatives – are those who traditionally have been the most supportive of the Constitution and separation of powers. During the Obama years, however, these voters have become increasingly suspicious and even hostile toward the federal government.

Fifty percent (50%) of GOP voters now believe states should have the right to ignore federal court rulings, compared to just 22% of Democrats and 30% of voters not affiliated with either major party. Interestingly, this represents a noticeable rise in support among all three groups.

Fifty percent (50%) of conservative voters share this view, but just 27% of moderates and 15% of liberals agree.

Many feel we are closer than ever to another American civil war.