Biden vows Supreme Court reforms in the wake of 'extreme decisions' by conservative justices

With President Joe Biden out of the running for the White House, he has turned his focus on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Biden has vowed to push for major reforms for the high court, including term limits, in the wake of what the BBC said he described as "extreme decisions" made by the conservative majority court.

Some of those "extreme decisions" he referenced include decisions on abortion and the immunity ruling that favored former President Donald Trump.

In an effort "to restore trust and accountability" in the Supreme Court, Biden has also vowed to push for an "enforceable" ethics code, among other reforms to the high court in order to cement some kind of legacy before his time in the White House comes to an end.

The elderly president made a speech earlier this week in Austin during which he explained why he believes such reforms are needed at this time, even though many believe his ideas are grossly unconstitutional.

"I'm certain we need these reforms to restore trust in the court, preserve the system of checks and balances that are vital to our democracy," he said during the speech, adding that he thinks the high court is "mired in a crisis of ethics."

Biden, at LBJ Library, blasts SCOTUS. Proposes major changes. “On top of its extreme decisions, the court is mired in a crisis of ethics. These scandals involving the justices have caused public opinion to question the court’s fairness and independence. https://t.co/nmrMvzjtdp

— Factoid Gleaner (@Factoids4All) July 30, 2024

BBC noted:

Mr Biden has proposed a new justice is appointed to the court every two years, who would then serve for 18 years. Reform advocates have previously suggested that such a staggered system would help depoliticise the court.

The president also want Congress to establish a new code of ethics that would force justices to disclose gifts and avoid overt political activities.

Biden is especially pushing to reverse the immunity decision that allowed Trump to triumph in some of his legal cases, ironically emphasizing that he believes "no one is above the law."

While the president and Democrats hope to galvanize voters ahead of the November election with talk of Supreme Court reforms, many believe that his efforts are a total waste of time, as he'll likely never receive the support in Congress needed to make such massive amendments.

BBC noted:

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson called the proposal "dead on arrival" in the House. In reply, Mr Biden said Mr Johnson's "thinking is dead on arrival."

Senate Republicans also denounced Mr Biden's proposals, with Ted Cruz of Texas saying they were "an assault on the legitimacy of the court."

The Trump campaign also released several statements on Biden's attempt to radically alter the high court.

"The Democrats are attempting to interfere in our presidential election, and destroy our justice system, by attacking their political opponent, me, and our honorable supreme court," the statement read.

It'll be interesting to see just how disappointed Democratic voters are when they realize that such reforms will never grow legs.