United States President Joe Biden has unveiled a comprehensive plan to reform the conservative-dominated Supreme Court, in a bold but long-shot move as he seeks to make a mark in his last six months in power.
The proposals, backed by Vice President Kamala Harris, aim to address the court’s controversial decisions, ethics scandals, and perceived partisan bias by introducing 18-year term limits for the top court’s justices, effectively ending lifetime appointments, and establishing an enforceable ethics code to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure accountability.
Biden is also calling for a constitutional amendment to reverse the court’s recent ruling backing Republican nominee and former president Donald Trump’s claims of presidential immunity.
In an opinion piece in the Washington Post, Biden emphasized the need for reform, saying, “What is happening now is not normal, and it undermines the public’s confidence in the court’s decisions, including those impacting personal freedoms… We now stand in a breach.”
Biden also stressed that the proposals reflect the principle that “no one is above the law. Not the president of the United States. Not a justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. No one.”
Harris echoed Biden’s sentiments, stating, “President Biden and I are calling on Congress to pass important reforms” to the court.
“These popular reforms will help to restore confidence in the Court, strengthen our democracy, and ensure no one is above the law.”
The Supreme Court has faced intense scrutiny for its conservative majority and recent rulings, including the overturning of Roe v Wade, which ended the federal right to abortion, and blocking Biden’s signature student debt forgiveness plan. Additionally, the court has been rocked by ethics scandals involving justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.
Biden’s plan is seen as a long shot, with legal expert Steven Schwinn warning that he has a “close to zero” chance of getting it through a deeply divided Congress. However, Schwinn suggests that Biden is trying to “raise public consciousness” and “introduce the Supreme Court as an election issue.”
