(UnitedVoice.com) – The Supreme Court has finally wrapped up its latest session, and it was a doozy. The conservative-leaning court handed down wins for both political parties. Despite coming out on top in some of the big cases, members of the Democratic Party are reportedly putting pressure on President Joe Biden to politicize the high court by packing it or by imposing term limits.
Court Packing Origins
Justice Antonin Scalia died in 2016, with several months left before the presidential election. The conservative justice’s death left a seat open on the Supreme Court. However, at the time, the Republican Party controlled the Senate, and then-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) refused to allow then-President Barack Obama to replace the late justice. The GOP argued that America had the right to choose who they wanted to fill the seat and said the next president should decide.
When President Donald Trump took office, he filled the seat. He also filled a second vacancy. Then, in September 2020, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, leaving an empty seat on the court less than two months before the presidential election. Instead of waiting for the new president to take office, the GOP hastily filled it — giving the court a conservative majority that will likely last decades.
That gave rise to a loud movement of Progressives who want to add more Supreme Court justices to the bench in order to force the court to lean to the left. They have also floated the idea of imposing term limits, even though the Constitution specifically states that justices will serve lifetime appointments.
Democratic Cries Grow Louder
The Congressional Progressive Caucus is angry about the Supreme Court’s rulings on LGBTQ+ issues. Fox News reported that in a statement on July 5, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), who serves as chair of the caucus, declared lawmakers should pass the Judiciary Act, a bill introduced by members of the Democratic Party, to expand the court. The legislation would expand the Supreme Court from nine justices to 13.
Jayapal also said they should pass the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act, which would institute ethics rules for the justices and a recusal standard.
Former Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) told MSNBC host Jen Psaki that the court has not been expanded for more than 150 years, so it’s under discussion. However, she claimed it was not a “rallying cry” but was just “a discussion.” She went on to say that there “certainly should be term limits” and ethical standards.
Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) accused the current Supreme Court of destroying “historic protections for reproductive rights, voting rights” and undermining “public trust.” He and other Democrats support the movement to interfere in the court.
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