Joe Biden worries that the “extreme” US supreme court, dominated by rightwing justices, cannot be relied upon to uphold the rule of law.

“I worry,” the president told ProPublica in interview published on Sunday. “Because I know that if the other team, the Maga Republicans, win, they don’t want to uphold the rule of law.”

“Maga” is shorthand for “Make America great again”, Donald Trump’s campaign slogan. Trump faces 91 criminal charges and assorted civil threats but nonetheless dominates Republican polling for the nomination to face Biden in a presidential rematch next year.

In four years in the White House, Trump nominated and saw installed three conservative justices, tilting the court 6-3 to the right. That court has delivered significant victories for conservatives, including the removal of the right to abortion and major rulings on gun control, affirmative action and other issues.

The new court term, which starts on Tuesday, could see further such rulings on matters including government environmental and financial regulation.

  • Zaktor
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    1 year ago

    I have no solution except impeachment and indictment

    You get that this is functionally no solution at all, right? Even in Obama’s first term there were only 60 Democratic-caucusing senators and a few of those were unreliable DINOs. 67 is a fairy tale. It’s only marginally more likely than just hoping they get raptured.

    And if that’s the case, which do you prefer:

    • Living the rest of your life under a conservative court making up law as it goes.
    • Legally changing the size of the court as has been done before, but in the process breaking precious norms.
    • HubertManne@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      See the thing is you talk like changing the size of the court is realistically gonna happen any more than impeachment. Its still requires majorities which are not there. So its like your arguing that we don’t have the number for what I said but we should go for the thing where we still don’t have the numbers but its closer. Its not horseshoes or handgrenades.

      • Zaktor
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        1 year ago

        Adding justices takes 50 votes. Impeaching takes 67. That’s a world of difference. It’s not going to happen if everyone up and down the party continually prioritizes making excuses for what can’t happen, but if Biden (and other Democrats) continue to make their case that the court has lost its legitimacy and is in need of reform (i.e., lead) there’s nothing fantastic about getting there.

        • HubertManne@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          the world of difference does not matter if you don’t have the 50 votes. Why is it less possible to get more republicans to vote on it especially when one, like impeachment, is more legitamate?

          • Zaktor
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            1 year ago

            What makes you think this is supposed to be a vote that must occur this instant with this congress? Do you think the Democrats will never have 50 solid votes ever again? And thinking that 15-17 Republicans would ever impeach a sitting Republican justice to be replaced by a Democrat is just wildly out of touch with reality. They wouldn’t impeach Trump after he had his followers storm the capital that they were actual in.