President Biden is proposing changes to the U.S. Supreme Court, including term limits, an ethics code, and a constitutional amendment limiting presidential immunity. He argues that recent court decisions have undermined public confidence in the court’s decisions and calls for bold reforms to restore trust and accountability. Biden, drawing on his experience as a long-serving senator and chairman of the Judiciary Committee, believes that term limits and an ethics code would bring more predictability to the nomination process and ensure that justices uphold ethical standards.
The proposal includes doing away with lifetime appointments and establishing a system where the sitting president appoints a justice every two years to serve an 18-year term on the high court bench. Biden also wants Congress to pass legislation establishing a code of ethics for justices to ensure transparency, impartiality, and accountability. Additionally, he is calling for a constitutional amendment to reverse a recent Supreme Court ruling that granted broad immunity to former presidents, which has delayed potential legal proceedings against Trump. The president’s proposal is seen as an attempt to address growing outrage among Democrats about the court’s conservative majority and concerns about questionable relationships and decisions by some justices.
There have been questions raised about the ethics of the court, with revelations about justices accepting luxury trips and displaying flags suggestive of political sympathies. Democrats, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, see Biden’s reform push as a way to highlight recent controversial decisions by the conservative-majority court, such as the ruling on abortion rights. Republicans, like Senator Lindsey Graham, argue that the court has brought balance by moving away from liberal-leaning decisions. The proposal marks a shift for Biden, who had previously been wary of court reform but now believes that it is critical to democracy. Vice President Harris, who expressed openness to expanding the court during her presidential campaign, has not commented on the current proposal.
The White House sees the proposed changes as a way to prevent abuse of presidential power, restore faith in the Supreme Court, and strengthen democracy. While the plan is unlikely to be approved by a closely divided Congress, Democrats hope it will resonate with voters as they consider their choices in the upcoming election. Biden and Harris are committed to working with Congress to implement these reforms and empower the American people to trust in the judicial system and democratic institutions. The president’s proposed reforms aim to address issues of accountability, transparency, and integrity within the highest court in the land, and to ensure that the court upholds its duty to serve justice and protect the rights of all Americans.
