Silent majority

While American voters have mixed opinions about abortion, they support the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision 63 - 33 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Men support it 68 - 28 percent, while women support it 58 - 37 percent.

Voters divided along party lines on the use of the filibuster in the U.S. Senate "to keep unfit judges off the bench" or prevent a full vote on judicial nominees. Republicans oppose filibusters 48 - 39 percent while Democrats support their use 70 - 23 percent and independent voters back them 54 - 39 percent.

Voters nationwide approve 44 - 39 percent of the job the U.S. Supreme Court is doing, the lowest score for the court and down from a 56 - 27 percent approval in a March 5, 2003, poll by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University.

As President George W. Bush makes future Supreme Court nominations, 39 percent of Americans want to maintain the present ideological balance on the court, while 29 percent want the court to be more liberal and 27 percent want it to be more conservative.

"While the filibuster fight ended in a truce, most American voters were backing the Democrats on this one," said Maurice Carroll, Director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "If this fight were really about Roe v. Wade, Quinnipiac University polls have shown a consistent 2 -1 support for this historic ruling, with more support from men."

Looking at American voter attitudes about abortion, the poll finds:

* 18 percent say abortion should be legal in all cases;
* 37 percent say abortion should be legal in most cases;
* 27 percent say abortion should be illegal in most cases;
* 14 percent say abortion should be illegal in all cases.

"On abortion, there's a silent majority. Both ends of the debate are making the noise, but 64 percent of American voters are in the middle, perhaps looking for that common ground," Carroll said.

In other attitudes about the Supreme Court, American voters say:

* 50 - 33 percent that the next Chief Justice should be a member of the current court, rather than an outsider;
* Support for any one justice to take the top job does not top 6 percent;
* 65 percent haven't heard enough about Justice Antonin Scalia, the most widely quoted justice, to form an opinion;
* A total of 79 percent say public opinion should have a "great deal" or "some" influence on Supreme Court decisions, but only 34 percent say public opinion actually has a "great deal" or "some" influence;
* 51 - 42 percent that the Supreme Court should consider changing times in making decisions, rather than the original intent of the authors of the Constitution.

Voters also say 60 - 34 percent that a nominee to any federal judgeship should state his or her position on abortion.

"The Supreme Court doesn't listen to the people, but it should, most Americans say. And despite what the lawyers and legislators say, Americans want to know where judicial nominees stand on abortion," Carroll said. President Bush's Approval

American voters disapprove of the job President George W. Bush is doing 50 - 44 percent, his lowest approval rating since becoming President. This compares to a 48 - 45 percent disapproval in a March 9 Quinnipiac University poll.

For a breakdown of the survey itself, visit the site. You can read the wording of the questions and all available answers. Percentage breakdowns are given for all answers. You can also compare the trends of answers as far back as March 2003.