The attempts to pack the Supreme Court with liberal judges so they could push through their agenda is pretty much dead for the time being because many liberals are unwilling to go along with a deliberate attempt to use the Supreme Court for political purposes, because they realize the backlash they will get from their constituents if they support it, but it still had a big effect on the Court. The attempt has caused justices to refuse to take on important cases that are controversial because they do not want their decisions to appear to be politically motivated so many important cases will not be decided. The Supreme Court sets the standard for all the courts in the nation so by not taking the cases, it leaves those cases at the discretion of each lower court. The Constitution requires judges to be appointed for life to shield the court from political influence. Presidents might appoint a justice or two but could not radically change the composition of the Court. Up until the 1950’s, judges might differ in their understanding and interpretation of the Constitution, but most of them were committed to the Constitution and the rule of law. Since then, a growing number of liberal judges have ignored the Constitution and the laws of the country and have tried to used the court to further their political agenda, which has eroded respect for the Supreme Court. In addition, we have seen a growing number of liberal judges in lower courts that ignore the Supreme Court rulings and the laws of their jurisdiction. As a result, the Court, once highly respected, has become largely ignored. The attempt by liberals to pack the court has further eroded its influence by making it appear to be highly politically motivated. As the courts have ignored the rule of law, the citizens have increasingly felt free to ignore the law when they feel they can get away with it. Once considered the safest nation of the world to live in, and known throughout the world for its low crime rate, it has seen crime rates climb at an alarming rate. Our nation, once highly respected by other nations for its adherence to law and order has lost its influence and is no longer respected by the nations of the world.