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The supreme Court primarily hears important cases where there are strong and reasonable legal arguments on each side. The idea that they can just apply the law in these cases is a bit unrealistic. It's just not that clear cut in the majority of SC cases.

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Sure. But it's still their job, even if it's hard. "What will the media think of me, if I decide X" would certainly make it easier, but fortunately doesn't seem to have become the guiding principle yet.

It's strange that the idea that judges shouldn't decide by (future) popularity gets downvoted. At times I don't understand this community at all. Is that a "I believe that my opinion will rule supreme in 20 years, so judges should submit to it now and just ignore the constitution"-thing?

Usually, the court decides important case on extremely subtly technical details unrelated to the main merits of the case, and the results are blown way out of proportion by the wider sociery.

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