Biden Creating Commission to Study Expanding the Supreme Court

Fantine · Apr 10, 2021

Buttoning had a plan proposedby Harvard and other universities. 15 justices. 5 Republican choices. 5 Democratic choices. 5 nominated by the other 10.

No one should have any complaints about that.

hislegacy · Apr 10, 2021

GreatLakes4Ever said:
Control of the White House and the Senate. They are playing McConnell’s game of do whatever you can to expand your power and whatever you can do to limit your opponents power. Republicans shouldn’t be complaining that Democrats are playing the same game they’ve been playing for years.

McConnell prevented a vote - because he had control.
If the Democrats were doing the same thing right now - I wouldn't argue in the least, but they aren't.

The Democrats are ADDING seats so they can regain majority in the Supreme Court.

If you want to say they are doing what the Republicans tried to do or did - show me one Republican bill or motion from the las 40 years where they tried to alter the makeup of the Supreme court by adding seats or imposing term limits.

If someone cannot see the difference, that amazes me.

hislegacy · Apr 10, 2021

Fantine said:
Buttoning had a plan proposedby Harvard and other universities. 15 justices. 5 Republican choices. 5 Democratic choices. 5 nominated by the other 10.

No one should have any complaints about that.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg spoke against it.

hislegacy · Apr 10, 2021

mark46 said:
Please present the polls that show that a majority of voters is swing states want Biden to pack the Supreme Court.

Let's be clear. You just don't believe in the Supreme Court (and the lower courts) as a balance against the other branches AS IT HAS BEEN in many dozens of cases in the past 5 years.

If the Democrats cannot write a law that passes the muster of the courts, then so be it. SURELY, Democrats should be able to craft such a law. Do you expect the recovery bill to be trashed? the infrastructure bill? No.

The issue is very simply. You disagree with the conservatism of the current court, and refuse to believe that the President and the Congress can pass laws that will past muster with your own views. This is NOT a reason to pack the Court (which has ZERO chances of becoming law and, if passed, would be reversed by the next packing by a Republican president).

The answer is have Congress pass laws. The TRUE answer is to do all we can to elect Democratic senators and House members. Then, Puerto Rico and DC will be states, and more of the Democratic agenda will become law.

QFT - well said!

Desk trauma · Apr 10, 2021

Fantine said:
Buttoning had a plan proposedby Harvard and other universities. 15 justices. 5 Republican choices. 5 Democratic choices. 5 nominated by the other 10.

No one should have any complaints about that.

I have some.

It would carve the current parties in stone even more so than they currently are. The current Parties should not be permanent fixtures with such powers formally given to them as at some point they will wain and deals such as this would leave them wielding power well outside what the voters give to them as they fade.

Desk trauma · Apr 10, 2021

hislegacy said:
When one political party is in the majority and they come out plainly speaking against packing the courts. Including Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Then they lose their majority became the majority in the Senate and now they want to pack the courts.

That is my definition a power grab.

Yes it is, as is DC statehood. After years of trying to be the better man, as it were, they are going in for power plays.

Oh my, doth that shoe pinch on the other foot.

mark46 · Apr 10, 2021

Fantine said:
Buttoning had a plan proposedby Harvard and other universities. 15 justices. 5 Republican choices. 5 Democratic choices. 5 nominated by the other 10.

No one should have any complaints about that.

On this day, let all independence of the court be gone.

Perhaps the political parties should emasculate the military in the same way. Let all the members of the Joint Chiefs be appointed by party, the first 10 by each party and then have a political fight for the rest.

NO, NO, NO and NO
=================
Justices should not be chosen by political parties. If we want a reform, perhaps term limits would be a good idea (say 20 years) or age limits (perhaps 80). Of course, such a change should only apply to future justices.

TLK Valentine · Apr 10, 2021

Fantine said:
Buttoning had a plan proposedby Harvard and other universities. 15 justices. 5 Republican choices. 5 Democratic choices. 5 nominated by the other 10.

No one should have any complaints about that.

No one except the Constitution -- only the President can appoint judges.

TLK Valentine · Apr 10, 2021

hislegacy said:
Ruth Bader Ginsburg spoke against it.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg is dead -- and dead or alive, it's no crime to disagree with her.

Fantine · Apr 10, 2021

TLK Valentine said:
No one except the Constitution -- only the President can appoint judges.

They would need to be confirmed.

mark46 · Apr 10, 2021

Fantine said:
They would need to be confirmed.

So you expect every Democratic senator to support this plan?

mark46 · Apr 10, 2021

hislegacy said:
Ruth Bader Ginsburg spoke against it.

not the only one
Justice Breyer argues against expanding the Supreme Court (nbcnews.com)

Perhaps, Biden is giving the left some rope. This is not his kind of liberal political policy.

TLK Valentine · Apr 10, 2021

mark46 said:
not the only one
Justice Breyer argues against expanding the Supreme Court (nbcnews.com)

Perhaps, Biden is giving the left some rope. This is not his kind of liberal political policy.

Or he's simply throwing them a bone.

After all, he's only ordering a commission to investigate. If that commission says "no," that'll be that.

rjs330 · Apr 10, 2021

essentialsaltes said:
We have not yet determined that the left wants to pack the court. I don't. I'm big fat minority-ally atheist secular science-y lefty dude.

Well maybe not you, but there are plenty of democrats and leftists who do.

Harvard Law Prof: Pack The Court Now To Save Democracy

Dems threaten to pack Supreme Court if Trump gets nominee confirmed

The Democrats’ Supreme Court Hail Mary

Pack the Supreme Court

rjs330 · Apr 10, 2021

GreatLakes4Ever said:
When McConnell performed the Power Grab of refusing to allow Obama to make judicial picks including refusing to advise on Garland in 2016. Then breaking the fig leaf reason for doing it by ramming through Barrett before the 2020 election. McConnell started this game and now wants relief because it is going to burn him. You have a problem with this go after the man who started it, otherwise I suggest a nice Gouda to go with your whine.

This is so ridiculous. If the democrats would have had the majority they could have not let Trump seat someone. That is a consequence of elections. And based on MConnels actions it would have been justifiable. But this is something entirely different. It's packing the court, not just approving or disapproving a nominee. Just like you think this is great cause if what McConnell did, it's revenge time.

But you've upped the ante on this one and what's to stop the republicans from packing the court in their favor when they get back to power? No, as Biden said, it's a bone head move. When you move politically to completely change the game, then you will eventually pay the price for that

It's dumb and petty and foolish in the end.

GreatLakes4Ever · Apr 10, 2021

rjs330 said:
This is so ridiculous. If the democrats would have had the majority they could have not let Trump seat someone. That is a consequence of elections. And based on MConnels actions it would have been justifiable. But this is something entirely different. It's packing the court, not just approving or disapproving a nominee. Just like you think this is great cause if what McConnell did, it's revenge time.

But you've upped the ante on this one and what's to stop the republicans from packing the court in their favor when they get back to power? No, as Biden said, it's a bone head move. When you move politically to completely change the game, then you will eventually pay the price for that

It's dumb and petty and foolish in the end.

If the Democrats don’t do this what’s to stop the Republicans from doing it if they gain power?

Pommer · Apr 10, 2021

GreatLakes4Ever said:
If the Democrats don’t do this what’s to stop the Republicans from doing it if they gain power?

Do unto others before they do unto you?

As much as I’d like to see another “Warren Court”, I’m thinking that we “have to get back to having ‘norms’ again”.
This would not do that. @rjs330 is correct, packing the court ups the ante.
Political fighting is one thing, changing the rules of the game is quite another.

Guinan · Apr 10, 2021

GreatLakes4Ever said:
If the Democrats don’t do this what’s to stop the Republicans from doing it if they gain power?

Speaking as a Republican, I'd like to keep the Republican Party away from any significant power as long as it's still being controlled (directly or indirectly) by Trump and his loyal sycophants.

GreatLakes4Ever · Apr 10, 2021

Pommer said:
Do unto others before they do unto you?

As much as I’d like to see another “Warren Court”, I’m thinking that we “have to get back to having ‘norms’ again”.
This would not do that. @rjs330 is correct, packing the court ups the ante.
Political fighting is one thing, changing the rules of the game is quite another.

The norm is that if you are not the same party as the majority in the Senate, you are not allowed to appoint people to federal courts. If you are the same party, no time is too short to get someone confirmed. That is the current system thanks to McConnell. That is allowed and rewarded currently. Doing nothing will allow it to continue. What is your plan to stop that? Or do you think that is an appropriate way to run things?

Aldebaran · Apr 10, 2021

GreatLakes4Ever said:
If the Democrats don’t do this what’s to stop the Republicans from doing it if they gain power?

That's a big "if". How would the Republicans ever gain power if the democrats change things to keep themselves in power? Packing the Supreme Court makes sure that anything the democrats pass, whether constitutional or not, will be upheld.

Biden Creating Commission to Study Expanding the Supreme Court

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