Reading Guide: Where Romney and Obama Stand on the Supreme Court

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Interesting article from ProPublica. Do you think it's true that independent voters don't really get motivated by the membership of the Supreme Court? I certainly don't think that's true.

http://www.propublica.org/article/reading-guide-where-romney-and-obama-stand-on-the-supreme-court

So, why hasn't there been more discussion about the Supreme Court on the campaign trail? It's a question that's been raised again and again, especially since justices, who are appointed for life, serve on average about 30 years.

One possible explanation is that the Supreme Court strategically took itself out of the political calculus earlier this year when it narrowly upheld the health care law.

"[The issue] would have played out a little differently if the Supreme Court had struck down the health care act," SCOTUSBlog's Goldstein said. "It's really hard for the president to run against the Court that has just upheld his signature legislative achievement by a whisker."

But the silence could also just convey a perceived lack of interest among the public.

"I think the candidates realize that the Supreme Court doesn't move independent voters," said Goldstein, even though "the president makes a radical difference in the composition of the judiciary."