Which Supreme Court decisions most fundamentally altered America?

[Maddy McCall]

What's your opinion?

Marbury v. Madison?
Dred Scott Decision?
Brown v. Board, Topeka?
Roe v. Wade?

Please respond with the case(s) you think is/are most pivotal, as well as an explanation as to why you think they are so important.

Thanks!

[leftofthedial]

1. Bush v. Gore

first time the Supremos committed treason and effected an anti-democratic coup.

[DoNotRefill]

2. Wickard v. Fillburn...

It turned the Interstate Commerce Clause from regulating just interstate Commerce into something that could be used for the Federal Government to regulate virtually anything they wanted, at least until Lopez in 1992...

[Birthmark]

3. Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad

Corporations get personhood under the 14th Amendment.

[fsbooks]

9. agreed

We need an amendment that steps that one back.

[tarheel]

12. I have to second that Birthmark

I think that is the point in our country's history where the "people" lost the power over our government, and it became a government "of the corporations, by the corporations, and for the corporations".

The people have steadily lost ground on all fronts ever since. Things really accelerated during Reagan's administration and workers in this country have steadily lost ground against their exploitation by corporate America.

[RoyGBiv]

4. Marbury v. Madison

Without it, none of the other decisions have any lasting impact.

[NewHampshireDem]

6. Hehe ...

simultaneous posts ... great minds, I guess :)

[NewHampshireDem]

5. Marbury v. Madison

Establishing that the SCOTUS had the power of "judicial review" and could declare acts of Congress to be invalid. This made the judiciary an equal third branch of the government and the Constitution truly became the law of the land.

[malatesta1137]

7. Bush v. Gore hands-down

Those other decisions each changed a vast aspect of the American society, but installing this criminal in the White House affected not only the US but millions of lives across the planet.

[Hubert Flottz]

8. Bush vs Gore!

It tore apart what we had that made America great when our judges played politics! It cheapened the country's leadership in the eyes of the world!

[theboss]

10. Heart of Atlanta Motel, Inc. v. United States; Griswald v. Connecticut

The first brought the Commerce Clause analysis into the civil rights discussion and essentially ended private racial disrimination (whereas Brown v. Board of Ed. dealt more with public discrimination). The leap there is remarkable.

Without Griswald, there is no Roe v. Wade. It was the case that said the government could not regulate acts between consenting adults. Just in numbers affected, I would make it more important than Roe v. Wade. It's also more important because it is not controversial. You can make arguments against abortion (braces self for attack). It's nearly impossible to make an argument birth control.

[AngryAmish]

11. Marbury v. Madison

Established judicial review. Made Supreme Court a co-equal branch of gov't.