A Supreme Court Unlike Any Other: The Deepening Divide Between the Justices and the People

McMahon (political science, Trinity Coll.; Nixon’s Court) presents a well-researched, thoroughly annotated examination of the change in the U.S. Supreme Court’s composition over time. Broken into historical timelines with context, the striking contrast between Antonin Scalia’s career (once held as the needle of conservatism) and today’s bench (including three Trump nominees) becomes obvious. The research is supported by a profusion of charts that demonstrate how nomination criteria and political platform loyalty have changed over time, moving justices farther away from the beliefs of their constituents and communities. The book makes it easy to understand the mood of the country in any given era, as it is clarified by the inclusion of relevant cases, headlines, and election results. The visuals when describing the ramifications of a numerical minority are especially effective at demonstrating how a small group of people can wield vast political influence.