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In his recent address to the nation regarding his withdrawal from the race, President Joe Biden reaffirmed his intention to pursue “reform” of the Supreme Court.
It’s crucial for Americans to recognize that the push to fundamentally alter the Court is underway. Current suggestions, such as instituting term limits for long-serving justices and enforcing a code of ethics, pose a threat to the Constitution and the separation of powers. Furthermore, extreme left factions are calling for packing the Court with additional liberal justices. If the eventual Democratic nominee for President succeeds, this radical change could indeed be realized, requiring only a simple majority and the President’s consent.
Notably, the presumed nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, who has Biden’s full backing, has already shown support for this initiative, stating she is “absolutely open” to the idea of court packing.
Altering the Supreme Court to function as a partisan institution would undermine judicial independence and jeopardize the civil liberties of every American. It’s worth recalling that then-Senator Biden described such a proposal as “a bonehead idea” that could “put in question … the independence of the … Supreme Court.” He was absolutely correct. At this moment, the last thing we require is a coup against the Supreme Court that jeopardizes our democratic republic.
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These movements from the left to seize control of the Supreme Court stem from dissatisfaction with recent rulings that did not align with their views. The reality is that the statistics do not substantiate the exaggerated claims of a “partisan Court.” During the most recent term, 45.8 percent of cases ended in unanimous verdicts. Among the 22 cases decided with a 6-3 vote, only 11 were divided along ideological lines. The left is merely upset about a few rulings they disagree with and is prepared to dismantle the Court and undermine the rule of law to achieve their goals.
The Supreme Court serves as the sole barrier against one-party governance.
BIDEN, HARRIS ADVOCATE FOR SUPREME COURT TERM LIMITS, CODE OF CONDUCT, LIMITS ON PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY
If those seeking to pack the Court manage to succeed, today’s hyper-partisan political environment will seem like a bygone era of civility. Civil liberties, especially religious freedom, would ultimately be at the whim of the radical left across all fifty states. First Amendment rights will be suppressed for political adversaries.
Ultimately, “court reform” is nothing more than a desperate attempt to undermine the Supreme Court’s legitimacy because it is comprised of justices dedicated to the Constitution and originalism. Should this coup transpire, the rule of law will falter, as the judiciary would devolve into a mere instrument of whoever wields power.
Infringing upon the Constitution and core principles of separation of powers, “ethics reform” seeks to empower adversaries of the judiciary to target justices who rule against the left’s agenda through investigations and fabricated scandals. The proposal for “term limits” would necessitate a Constitutional amendment and is intentionally crafted as a partisan strategy to cleanse the Supreme Court of conservative members, first removing the longest-serving and most conservative justices, including textualists Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.
President Biden stated that the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on presidential immunity “undermines the rule of law in this nation.” (Getty Images)
Congress should refrain from interfering with the judiciary’s functions. It is the division of powers across three distinct branches of government that fortifies our nation. To safeguard religious freedom and all our treasured liberties, judges must be empowered to make rulings devoid of fear of partisan retribution from either the executive or legislative branches. Biden and Harris’ proposed “court reform” jeopardizes this independence.
Fortunately, the pragmatic majority of Americans, tired of the aggressive, woke left, denounce these perilous assaults on our Court and the rule of law.
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Polling from 2023 indicates that 91% of Americans view an independent judiciary as a vital safeguard for our civil liberties, 72% believe the Supreme Court politicization endangers judicial independence, and 68% oppose court-packing.
In Federalist 48, James Madison stated that “the most difficult task is to provide some practical security for each [branch of government], against the invasion of the others.” He recognized the Court as a crucial check on legislative power, which he feared would tend to draw everything into its “impetuous vortex.” It is the Court that defends our God-given civil rights from legislative overreach.
Americans want politicians to respect the long-standing tradition of nine Justices on the Supreme Court of the United States. Those who value their freedoms need to speak out and stand against this attempted coup.
