We’re Doing Climate-Next the Court

Schumer and Manchin seem finally to have reached agreement on meaningful climate action. If we can do that, the next step has got to be reforming the Supreme Court.

This Court is responsible for even more than it gets blamed for. Roe v Wade is the tip of the iceberg. This court is dedicated to the project of overturning democracy by enforcing and maintaining minority rule.

That starts with the defense of gerrymandering. This is the single most important factor in the polarization of the political environment-a political minority is given vastly exaggerated and untouchable power. Punting to Congress is a joke, since that asks the beneficiaries to give up power. To that gets added Citizens United and the provocatively-announced ruling on “replacement electors.”

As both Alito and Thomas have made clear, this court has decided to use its unchallenged power to rule-and the proper response of the population should be obedience. Democracy has no place is this vision.

Changing the Court’s size is a matter that requires majorities in both houses of Congress and the President. Democrats have that. Taking that action is not radical. What is radical is a rogue Supreme Court that is using it’s unchallengable powers to rule-certainly not the intention of the founding fathers. It should of course be noted who is actually rulling-the Koch organization that created and managed the Federlist Society, to which all conservative justices have dedicated their careers.

This is a chance to save democracy in this country. Second only to saving the planet.

Originally published at http://ontheoutside.blog on July 29, 2022.