President Joe Biden has unveiled a long-awaited proposal for changes at the U.S. Supreme Court, calling to establish term limits and an enforceable ethics code.
  • unmagical@lemmy.mlEnglish
    62·
    1 month ago

    There are so many ways the court could be reformed, but only a single way that POTUS can reform it: appoint nominate new justices.

    And Biden just goes and announces his plan that Congress just deal with it.

    • bcoffy@lemmy.worldEnglish
      9·
      1 month ago

      Meh. I think packing the court is a short term fix (if even possible with a republican house), and would set a new precedent. Then it’d become a competition to keep adding ${party_in_white_house} Supreme Court justices every time we have a new president.

      Actually amending the constitution would probably be the best move (not that it’ll ever happen) as they could permanently reign in the Supreme Court and help de-politicize it again.

      • unmagical@lemmy.mlEnglish
        4·
        1 month ago

        It may well be a short term fix, but it is the only thing in Biden’s power to actually do. There is still a check on it via the approval of Congress, but the barrier there is far less than a constitutional amendment. Also a short term fix may well lead to reforms allowing a longer, more permanent fix to actually be accomplished. It’s a preferable solution to one that will never come. It’s also the only thing that can be done right now (except using Seal Team 6 to assassinate his political rivals).

        It also didn’t seem to set a new precedent the last 7 times the number of justices was changed, even when it was changed to block or revert a ruling.

        • bcoffy@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          1 month ago

          True, and it may honestly kind of convince-via-accelerationism the republicans to do reform if they see a democrat POTUS pack the courts with like 5 democrats lol

    • Bye@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      1 month ago

      He can’t do that without congress either, new justices have to be confirmed.

      • unmagical@lemmy.mlEnglish
        1·
        1 month ago

        You’re correct that Congress has to approve that. I had the wrong word in my original comment. He can nominate without congress and that’s the only thing he can do (More specifically the Constitution does not require that Congress expand the court prior to presidential nominations, only that approval is required prior to actual appointment). ALL reforms will require Congress, so Biden announcing reforms is ultimately meaningless, especially when he won’t actually try the only thing he can take the first move on.