The likely confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh after this week’s judiciary hearing will only reinforce and accentuate the idea of a highly polarized U.S. Supreme Court. While the picture of the justices constantly at each others’ throats makes for a good story and fodder for punditry, the evidence suggests that this is not the whole story.
To be sure, there are major differences on some issues between the more liberal and more conservative wings of the court pitting the appointees of Democratic Party presidents against those appointed by Republicans. However, a review of the totality of the court’s work during its most recent term suggests a more nuanced perspective on the work of the court and the interpersonal dynamics of the justices.
