President Joe Biden has unveiled a sweeping plan to reform the US Supreme Court, aiming to address what he calls a ‘crisis of trust in democratic institutions’. The proposal, set to be presented in a speech at the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas, includes three major changes: term limits for justices, a binding ethics code, and a constitutional amendment to clarify that former presidents are not immune from prosecution for crimes committed during their term.Biden’s plan calls for an 18-year term limit for Supreme Court justices, who are currently appointed for life. Under this system, the president would appoint a new justice every two years. The proposal also includes a binding code of conduct and ethics rules for justices, addressing recent controversies surrounding some members of the court.Perhaps most notably, Biden is pushing for a constitutional amendment to reverse the court’s recent ruling on presidential immunity, emphasizing that ‘no one is above the law, not even the President of the United States or a Supreme Court judge’. This comes in the wake of several controversial decisions by the court’s conservative majority, including limiting abortion rights and federal regulatory powers.However, the reforms face significant challenges. With a deeply divided Congress and only months left in Biden’s term, the proposals have little chance of becoming law. Critics, including Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, argue that Democrats only want to reform the court when it issues decisions they don’t like.Despite these obstacles, the White House hopes the proposal will focus voters’ attention on the issue of judicial reform as the country approaches the upcoming presidential election. The move comes after Biden ended his re-election bid and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to run against Republican candidate Donald Trump in November.
Key points
- President Biden proposes 18-year term limits for Supreme Court justices.
- Biden calls for a binding ethics code for Supreme Court justices.
- A constitutional amendment is proposed to clarify that former presidents are not immune from prosecution.
- The reforms face significant challenges in a divided Congress.
Contradictions👾While Biden emphasizes the need for reforms to restore trust in democratic institutions, critics argue that the proposals are politically motivated.
