Legislators with black robes

Our politics is consumed by the daily circus surrounding the Trump administration. The president's unorthodox style drives the train and churns the Washington press corps (and the country) daily, hourly.

It's all quite good for television ratings, but not so helpful for substance. Indeed, few voters bother with the complexities of legislative agendas or policy minutiae when new press secretaries are coming and going weekly. In the process, the next incarnation of Obamacare or the initial outline of a comprehensive tax overhaul receives second billing compared to what the president tweeted that morning – especially if the tweet contradicts what another administration spokesperson said the previous day.

Still, moving policy forward remains the most important measure of any administration. Here, legislative victories count, as do regulatory reforms that undo Obama era overreach.

But less attention is given to judicial wins – the all-important opinions issued by lifetime appointees in charge of our co-equal branch of government.

For immediate context, think about how a few thousand voters in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan made it possible for Neil Gorsuch (rather than Merrick Garland) to become the all-important "fifth vote" on an evenly divided Supreme Court. Now that I have your attention, give some thought to your views on the following questions: