Biden proposes term limits for Supreme Court
His reforms would also roll back the presidential immunity granted to Donald Trump last month
What happened
President Joe Biden on Monday unveiled a set of legislative reforms designed to "restore the public's faith in our judicial system" through term limits, an enforceable code of ethics for U.S. Supreme Court Justices, and rollbacks of the expansive presidential immunity granted to Donald Trump last month.
Who said what
"What is happening now is not normal, and it undermines the public's confidence in the court's decisions," Biden said in an opinion piece for The Washington Post. In addition to supporting 18-year terms for Supreme Court justices and a binding code of ethics, Biden raised the ratification of a new "No One Is Above the Law" constitutional amendment to "make clear that there is no immunity for crimes a former president committed while in office."
Biden's proposals are part of a Democratic effort to "delegitimize the Supreme Court" and are "dead on arrival" in Congress, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said. The reforms are an "election-year message designed to excite the Democrats' progressive base" during a time of "deep unpopularity for the high court," CNN said.
What next?
Even if Democrats retake the House next year, they're "unlikely to have the 60 Senate votes needed to overcome a filibuster" of any laws reflecting Biden's proposals, Politico said. A constitutional amendment would be "even more difficult, needing two-thirds support from both chambers of Congress or from a convention called by two-thirds of the states, as well as the approval of three-fourths of state legislatures."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.
-
Today's political cartoons - September 7, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - football widows, meddling kids, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Smoking ban: the return of the nanny state?
Talking Point Starmer's plan to revive Sunak-era war on tobacco has struck an unsettling chord even with some non-smokers
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: September 7, 2024
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
DOJ charges 2 Russians for funding US far-right media
Speed Read Russia is running disinformation campaigns to influence US politics ahead of the 2024 election, officials say
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Aide to NY governors charged as Chinese agent
Speed Read Linda Sun, the former aide to Kathy Hochul, has been accused of spying for the Chinese government
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Russian strike kills at least 51 in Ukraine
Speed Read Two Russian missiles struck a military academy and hospital in the Ukrainian city of Poltava
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Who will win the 2024 presidential election?
In Depth Election year is here. Who are pollsters and experts predicting to win the White House?
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
US seizes private jet of Venezuela's Maduro
Speed Read Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro's airplane was illegally purchased and smuggled out of the US
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Harris, Biden campaign together at union rally
Speed Read The sitting president and Democratic presidential nominee joined forces in battleground state Pennsylvania
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel mourns slain hostages, protests Netanyahu
Speed Read Hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets to demand a Gaza hostage release
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Fury' as UK suspends some arms sales to Israel
Speed Read Netanyahu condemns Foreign Office's 'shameful' decision to partially restrict weapons exports
By Kaye O'Doherty Published