Even the Supreme Court's conservative justices are polarized

+ why do some planets have moons? US Edition - Today's top story: Even the Supreme Court's conservative justices are polarized about the state of American politics [View in browser]( US Edition | 24 June 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [How China pressures influencers to echo the party line]( - [Why spiritual leaders are burning out]( - [A meteorologist explains how to stay safe from lightning strikes]( Lead story After a liberal activist and documentary producer secretly recorded and then revealed her conversations with Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts in early June, much of the public discussion was, justifiably, about her underhanded methods. In our lead story today, Trinity College scholar Kevin J. McMahon instead looked at what the two men said and how it might provide insight into both the justices’ respective understanding of the court’s place in American life and the decisions in which they played a decisive role. McMahon, who describes himself “as a political scientist who incorporates historical analysis in his work,” views the men’s statements through the lens of political polarization, which he says “[is both essential to a functioning democracy and a threat to it](. Too little disagreement among citizens and leaders is unlikely to produce the fruitful political debate that leads to better policy and law. Too much dissension … may result in violence and destroy democracy.” McMahon finds that the justices “offered starkly different views” about polarization in today’s America. He ranges through Alito’s dark rejection of compromise to Roberts’ more optimistic view of the “rough-and-tumble nature” of American politics, especially in the 1960s and early 1970s. Roberts, he writes, appears to believe that “democracy has been tested by division and discord and has come through stronger in the end.” [ [Support The Conversation’s work, and we’ll send you 2 special edition e-books.]( ] Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Democracy Today's newsletter supported by [readers like you.]( Is political polarization ripping America apart? Two Supreme Court justices have very different answers. Douglas Rissing/iStock / Getty Images Plus [Even the Supreme Court’s conservative justices are polarized about the state of American politics]( Kevin J. McMahon, Trinity College The secret recordings of two Supreme Court justices reveal dramatic differences in how they see American political life. International - [China’s crackdown on ‘wealth-flaunting’ social media puts pressure on influencers − both on the mainland and in Taiwan − to echo the party line]( Gengsong Gao, University of Richmond; Dan Chen, University of Richmond Regulators in China are scouring social media platforms and censoring those deemed to be engaged in morally corrupt behavior. Environment + Energy - [Lightning season is here: Fast facts and how to stay safe, from a meteorologist]( Chris Vagasky, University of Wisconsin-Madison What really happens when lightning strikes cars, what to do if you’re out in the open or on a beach, and other tips for National Lightning Safety Awareness Week. - [2024’s violent tornado season has been one of the most active on record − a meteorologist explains the weather behind the outbreaks]( William Gallus, Iowa State University Spring 2024 was menacing for large parts of the US, with a tornado nearly every day in May. Tornado outbreaks tore up communities across multiple states. Health + Medicine - [Do hormonal contraceptives increase depression risk? A neuroscientist explains how they affect your mood, for better or worse]( Natalie C. Tronson, University of Michigan A neuroscientist explains how hormonal contraceptives work − and how stress may increase or decrease depression risk while on them. Science + Technology - [Rocks on Rapa Nui tell the story of a small, resilient population − countering the notion of a doomed overpopulated island]( Carl Lipo, Binghamton University, State University of New York Satellite data shows the amount of food the residents of the tiny Pacific island have grown over time, pointing to a small but stable population. - [Why do some planets have moons? A physics expert explains why Earth has only one moon while other planets have hundreds]( Nicole Granucci, Quinnipiac University It’s not a competition, but if it were, Saturn would be winning. Education - [Most Philly public school students have college ambitions − but their level of preparation depends on which high school they attend]( Joseph Sageman, Princeton University A sociologist and former high school math teacher found that Philadelphia students face starkly different expectations for college depending on what type of school they attend. Ethics + Religion - [‘I love this work, but it’s killing me’: The unique toll of being a spiritual leader today]( Steven Sandage, Boston University; Laura Captari, Boston University Spiritual leaders’ own pain often goes unnoticed as they tend to their community’s challenges. Trending on site - [What the 3.2 million-year-old Lucy fossil reveals about nudity and shame]( - [Lawsuit could challenge trust in Ozempic and other popular weight loss drugs]( - [Is Earth really getting too hot for people to survive? A scientist explains extreme heat and the role of climate change]( Today's graphic 📈 [Seventeen states have laws or regulations allowing school boards to adopt release-time policies, while 12 states require it.]( From the story, [Sunday school – Monday through Friday: Oklahoma joins states with ‘release time’ laws letting K-12 kids leave school for religious lessons]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [Giving Today]( [New!] • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Follow us on social media: • [Bluesky]( • [Mastodon]( • [Threads]( • [Nostr]( • [LinkedIn]( • [Instagram]( • [Facebook]( • Or [get a daily text from us]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to [help you make sense of our complex world](. 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