To the editor: In the face of the U.S. Supreme Court’s uncontrolled conduct, including overturning long-standing precedent and creating a presidential “immunity” doctrine out of thin air, President Biden has supported three reform proposals, but none of them have a chance of success.
Our country is too polarized for any constitutional amendment to be ratified, and some of Biden’s proposals would require final court approval. Even if Democrats win the presidency and Congress in November, I believe Biden’s reforms are not the way forward.
The only potentially viable way to achieve reform is for Congress to pass a law increasing the number of Supreme Court justices to 13. Since the Supreme Court's inception, its size has been set by legislative action, and Congress has adjusted the number of justices several times.
There is nothing in the Constitution or in the history of the creation of our form of government to suggest that any entity other than Congress has the authority to set and alter the size of the court.
Democrats should therefore move to expand the court within the first 100 days after Kamala Harris is sworn in as president.
Loren Mark, Eagle Rock
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To the editor: For decades when the Supreme Court was a liberal activist court, progressives embraced it without a problem. Now that it is leaning right, progressives are seeking to delegitimize and “reform” it.
This is just another example of the left trying to destroy anything that might stand in the way of their radical agenda.
PJ Gendell, Beverly Hills
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To the editor: If an 18-year term for the Supreme Court were to be approved, with one appointment every two years starting in 2026, all current members of the Court would have turned at least 19 by the time their turn came up. Therefore, I see no reason why current members should not be subject to this, if it were to be approved.
And I really hope so. The court is broken now. I have lost confidence in its ability to make judgments based solely on the law, without regard to politics.
Diane Scholfield, View
