President Biden has outlined a three-point plan to "reform" the Supreme Court, despite its high approval ratings and the unconstitutionality of his proposals. His aim is to gain votes by vilifying the justices, as he did in his speech in Austin, Texas.
Amidst the frenzy of election season, President Joe Biden has once again resorted to a familiar tactic: vilifying the Supreme Court justices to garner votes. In a speech at the LBJ Presidential Library in Texas, Biden laid out his radical proposals for "reforming" the high court, echoing the same politically motivated rhetoric we have heard countless times before.
The timing of Biden's speech is no coincidence. With an election approaching, the lame duck president has dusted off the same old bromide about Supreme Court reform, hoping to appeal to his base. However, a closer examination reveals that his proposals are not based on the court's actual rulings, but rather on a desire to reshape it according to his political agenda.
Biden's Radical SCOTUS Proposals: A Democratic Ruse to "Save Democracy
As former Attorney General William Barr pointed out in a Fox News op-ed, the Supreme Court's recent rulings have not been extreme. Nearly half of the decisions in the last term were unanimous, and only 11 were decided along ideological lines. This hardly suggests a court that is operating far outside the realm of reason.
Biden's three-point plan consists of term limits for justices, a code of conduct, and limits on presidential immunity. However, these proposals are largely unconstitutional. Life terms for Supreme Court justices are enshrined in the Constitution, and imposing term limits would require an amendment, which is an arduous process with virtually no chance of success.
Biden's Radical SCOTUS Proposals: A Democratic Ruse to "Save Democracy
Similarly, the proposal for a judicial code of conduct is an attempt by the legislative and executive branches to exert undue influence on the independence of the judicial branch. The Constitution was designed to prevent such meddling.
Finally, Biden's call for limits on presidential immunity conveniently ignores the fact that it protects not only him but also future Democratic presidents from the type of prosecutions that have plagued former President Donald Trump.
Biden's Radical SCOTUS Proposals: A Democratic Ruse to "Save Democracy
It is worth noting that Biden's current embrace of radical court reforms is a stark departure from his previous stance. For decades, he vehemently opposed such changes, calling them a "bonehead idea." Now, as an elderly president, he wants to age-out younger justices who are far more mentally fit than he is.
The irony of Biden's proposals is that they are presented as a means to "save democracy." However, they are anything but democratic. They are an attempt by an incumbent president to reshape the Supreme Court to his liking, regardless of the constitutional constraints or the will of the people.
Biden's Radical SCOTUS Proposals: A Democratic Ruse to "Save Democracy
Like so many of Biden's proposals, his Supreme Court plan is merely electoral pablum for Democrats. It is a ruse designed to appeal to his base without any realistic chance of implementation. The American people deserve better than such political maneuvering.
