A Bad Idea
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| The Supremes in 1937, the year FDR attempted to pack the court. |
Don't get me wrong; I think that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are doing a fairly good job at their respective jobs. Although I supported neither of them in the primaries last year, I'm awfully relieved they won the 2020 election. I'm quite sure I don't need to explain to you my reasoning. You get the idea, I'm sure.
That being said, someone with a bit of influence with the president really ought to have a word with Joe about the fact that he has his people studying the possibly of raising the number of justices on the Supreme Court. This is a terrible idea that is surely likely to blow up in Joe's face - just as it did with Franklin Delano Roosevelt eighty-four years ago.
Yeah, that's right. This has been attempted before.
You see, in 1937 Roosevelt had the same headache that the POTUS is having today - a judicial branch of the government that was packed to the rafters with a cabal of right wing extremists who were hell-bent on curtailing human and social progress. After winning reelection in a resounding landslide in 1936, FDR put his plan into motion. The last straw for the Frankster was when the Supremes declared the National Recovery Act unconstitutional a couple of years before. After his second inauguration was behind him he put his plan into action. Although he had support from the progressive diehards in the congress, most of them - even a sizable number of members from his own party - were aghast at the idea. Franklin Roosevelt was handed the worst political defeat of his twelve year presidency.
Within a year of his scheme, one of the old codgers on the court retired and FDR was able to appoint William O. Douglas to the court. More vacancies soon followed, and by the end of his term in 1945, he pretty much had the Supremes locked up.
It might take a few years, but the balance on that court will favor the progressives again someday. An attempt to "pack" the court in 2021 would only set a bad precedent. Who's to predict that the Republicans don't attempt to try the same thing if they ever get back into power?
Please note that I said "if they ever get back into power.
If President Biden is seriously considering going down this path, he really needs to rethink it.
posted by Tom Degan @ 1:29 PM
9 comments
9 Comments:
Tom,
You are 100% correct!
I will watch with interest how the "woke" crowd reacts to your post.
Biden certainly has history on board to take a pass here. Better to shepherd DC through to statehood and work from the legislative end.
It's more important to strengthen our democracy and voter rights. DC statehood is only advancing the founders' ideal of ending taxation without representation.
The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the For the People Act will protect voter rights and fair elections.
The Constitution provides the way forward:
Section 4
The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations
The radical Right will dismantle our democracy further if these acts are not passed.
Clucky, you should be more concerned with your Orange hero's legal troubles. Biden has the country back on track.
But you keep WHINING, and defending TREASON.
You didnb;t mind McConnell "packing" the court did you, but had a Dem done to a GOP President when he did?
there would be 3,492 posts from you (or your various aliases) WHINING about it.
Prove me wrong.
Mofart,
Try to stay on Tom's topic. Which if you actually read Tom's post you would know is not about former President Donald Trump.
Proving once again that you are still as dumb as a box of rocks.
I'm surprised Biden would even consider it given his loyalty to the institutions of government. I guess the left is pressuring him hard. You are correct, it is a horrible idea. Even given the fact that the Republicans have been court packing for years and lets not forget they denied Obama his nominee for the Supreme Court.
The 2020 Census has given Republicans the gerrymander edge, so Democratic wins at the polls are still an up hill battle, which means switching the courts balance from conservative to liberal will take longer than most would hope. If Biden does a good job and keeps the American people happy with him, that will go a long way to Democratic wins at the polls for the next four years.
Wow...Clucky taking ME to task for "not staying on topic".
The topic IS about FORMER (thank the gods)"President" Trump because he was put in office by the GOP specifically to appoint "the proper" judges. You know, the ones that will shoot down Roe v Wade and the last of the voting rights act.
Oh, and speaking of FORMER president trump...his lawyer had to get a lawyer. BIG search warrant at Rudy's place this morning! LOL
Clucky is still WHINING...
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Harry Reid's "nuclear option" did blow up in their faces.
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