Time to Add More Justices to the Supreme Court!
By anniepa
@anniepa (27955)
United States
October 6, 2021 1:44pm CST
First of all, in case anyone is wondering it's nowhere in the Constitution that there must be 9 justices on the Supreme Court. Throughout our history there have been different numbers of justices so it really isn't anything new to discuss changing the number of justices on the court.
When there first was 9 justices on the Supreme Court our population was a small fraction of what it is today and there were far fewer states. My feeling is that given the way we ended up with the current make-up of the court with 6 conservatives appointed by Republican presidents and just 3 more on the liberal side appointed by Democratic presidents it's definitely time to make a change in the name of levelling the playing field, so to speak.
My view is and always will be the a seat was stolen from former President Barack Obama after the death of Justice Antonin Scalia and that the hypocrisy of Mitch McConnell was proven when he quickly allowed Trump's third pick to be confirmed when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away right before the 2020 election.
I'm sorry but in my mind that's TWO seats that should have been filled by Democratic presidents! It's very unfortunate that the court has become so political, something that wasn't the case in the past, but since it apparently is what it is and what it will likely be going forward I can't see why only one party should "play fair" while the other cheats every chance they get.
https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/trending/supreme-court-changing-number-justices-not-new-idea/CUTZV643QNDJRIDQK6OBDGA2DY
4 people like this
4 responses
@Vikingswest1 (6305)
• United States
6 Oct 21
Where will it end?
If rules are changed now, every time a different party takes control, the number of Justices will be raised.
Obviously you would like the number of Justices raised to take the majority.
Then the GOP will raise the number to take the majority when they regain control. Then the Dems. Then the GOP...
Since no maximum number limits the Court, don't you think that the number of Justices will reach triple digits eventually?
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
6 Oct 21
Since we have unscrupulous Senators in leadership roles like Mitch McConnell I feel SOMETHING needs to be done to balance things out a bit. It didn't have to be this way, it should NOT have been this way but when Moscow Mitch refused to even bring Merrick Garland's nomination up for a vote, refused to even have a hearing for him it became clear that it's impossible to "play fair" with the likes of him. There was a time, even after he refused President Obama the hearing for his rightful choice for SCOTUS, that I believed if another opening were to occur before an election he would be consistent but suddenly it was perfectly fine to seat a new justice right before an election.
Gee, maybe we could add say four more justices and then pass a law that no more changes shall be made? Just a thought...
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
6 Oct 21
@Vikingswest1 Seriously, why not considering what McConnell and the Republicans did to the Democrats? Stop and consider for one minute what Mitch would do if the situation were reversed. With a perfectly straight face he'd say it was the right thing to do.
1 person likes this
@Vikingswest1 (6305)
• United States
6 Oct 21
@anniepa
Oh. Change the rules this one time to take the majority and then make a law so that it can't be changed again?
Hahah
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
12 Oct 21
I am opposed to changing the number, And no it would only be one justice to the Dems, you would get the Obama one but not the last trump one, you can't have it both ways. It would set something very bad in motion. Some things are just best left alone and the supreme court is one of them. I'm much more in favor of term limits for senators and congressmen. We need some new blood.
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
13 Oct 21
I respectfully disagree. I have kind of mixed feelings about term limits. I'm more of the opinion that the voters should limit the terms of those who aren't fit to serve whether it's after one term or twenty. I agree there are some Senators and House members who are quite frankly too old to still be there but since they're not in my district or state I have no say over it. To be honest my main worry about term limits is that we'll end up with more Marjorie Taylor Greenes, people who are actually a danger to our democracy and/or know nothing about government.
As for the Supreme Court, at the very least they should be term limited. As I wrote in my OP the number of justices has been changed many times over the years. It's not engraved in stone - or written in the Constitution - that there has to be 9. Right now we have 6 extremely conservative justices and the country just doesn't lean that way. Five of the nine were put there by POTUSes who hadn't gotten the popular vote. I know we have the Electoral College and the popular vote doesn't mean a thing unfortunately but I'm just saying these justices that are there are not there because of the will of the people, not by a long shot.
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
17 Oct 21
@BelleStarr The country is more in the middle but I'd say slightly left of center. I say that because the majority in poll after poll are in favor of an increase in the minimum wage, are pro-choice under most circumstances but absolutely when it comes to rape and incest or the life or health of the mother, are concerned about climate change and are in favor of marriage equality. Those issues and many others were once considered to be radically left.by some.
I'm between Wilkes-Barre and Berwick, which is where I was born and raised. It's awful, but while I've head of MT Cobb I can't remember where it is.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
15 Oct 21
@anniepa But the country does not lean progressive either, it is much more moderate. It has been 9 justices for more than 150 years, I call that a president. I am more worried about more Cory Bushes or Bernie Sanders. If we could get a moderate government and court that truly represented "We the People" that would be wonderful. And it is great to be able to respectfully disagree, I respect your right to your opinion and I am pleased you respect mine and we can be civil about it. By the way where in PA are you, do you mind my asking, we have a cottage in MT Cobb.
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (58197)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
6 Oct 21
Welcome to life, bend over and smile. I have a feeling it's always been this way to some degree.... we're just now noticing it.
1 person likes this
