Lawmakers in the United States have been debating how to deal with an accusation against a nominee for the Supreme Court. The issue has turned into a political battle between the two major parties. Observers may ask why a Supreme Court candidate shows such a wide division between Democrats and Republicans. President Donald Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh in July. Kavanaugh, like past nominees to the court, has promised his court decisions will not be based on politics. And yet, in the 20th century, the nine-member court has followed a trend of partisan division. From 1969 to 1986, an average of 17 percent of cases were decided by a 5-4 majority. In the following years, that average rose to 20 percent, then 22 percent. The early years of Supreme Court decisions were decided very differently. From 1801 to 1940, a one-person majority decided only 2 percent of cases. In other words, Supreme Court justices have been less and less able to agree on decisions.
Title: Why the U.S. Supreme Court Is So Divided
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2820/714a5513-5711-4d3a-a714-67191faab8e7_hq__1_.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Why the U.S. Supreme Court Is So Divided' data-article-id='3383'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='11792'>Lawmakers in the United States have been debating how to deal with an accusation against a nominee for the Supreme Court.</span> <span data-start-time='11792' data-end-time='20500'>The issue has turned into a political battle between the two major parties.</span> <span data-start-time='20500' data-end-time='31167'>Observers may ask why a Supreme Court candidate shows such a wide division between Democrats and Republicans.</span> <span data-start-time='31167' data-end-time='37333'>President Donald Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh in July.</span> <span data-start-time='37333' data-end-time='47833'>Kavanaugh, like past nominees to the court, has promised his court decisions will not be based on politics.</span> <span data-start-time='47833' data-end-time='57500'>And yet, in the 20th century, the nine-member court has followed a trend of partisan division.</span> <span data-start-time='57500' data-end-time='70875'>From 1969 to 1986, an average of 17 percent of cases were decided by a 5-4 majority.</span> <span data-start-time='70875' data-end-time='79667'>In the following years, that average rose to 20 percent, then 22 percent.</span> <span data-start-time='79667' data-end-time='88146'>The early years of Supreme Court decisions were decided very differently.</span> <span data-start-time='88146' data-end-time='98813'>From 1801 to 1940, a one-person majority decided only 2 percent of cases.</span> <span data-start-time='98813' data-end-time='107292'>In other words, Supreme Court justices have been less and less able to agree on decisions.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2820/9B70DB4E-CC2A-47FA-AD87-5B7CA3AF95B6_cx0_cy3_cw0_w1023_r1_s.jpg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=11560 data-hint-location='47833' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2820/what_does_partisan_mean.wav'>What does partisan mean?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='strongly supporting one leader, group, or cause over another'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2820/strongly_supporting_one_leader_group_or_cause_over_another.wav'><span>strongly supporting one leader, group, or cause over another</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2820/supporting_all_groups_equally.wav'><span>supporting all groups equally</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2820/supreme_court_policies_and_procedures.wav'><span>supreme court policies and procedures</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2820/to_be_elected_president.wav'><span>to be elected president</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=11561 data-hint-location='37333' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2820/kavanaugh_like_past_nominees_to_the_court_has_promised_his_court_decisions_will_not_be_based_on_what.wav'>Kavanaugh, like past nominees to the court, has promised his court decisions will not be based on what?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='politics'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2820/ghosts.wav'><span>ghosts</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2820/politics.wav'><span>politics</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2820/money.wav'><span>money</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2820/race.wav'><span>race</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=11562 data-hint-location='11792' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2820/the_issue_has_turned_into_a__blank__between_the_two_major_parties.wav'>The issue has turned into a <span class='blank'>political battle</span> between the two major parties.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='political battle'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2820/political_battle.wav'><span>political battle</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2820/political_agreement.wav'><span>political agreement</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2820/trade_agreement.wav'><span>trade agreement</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2820/civilized_discussion.wav'><span>civilized discussion</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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