President Joe Biden has issued a warning about what he calls an “extreme” agenda being pushed by some conservative justices on the Supreme Court. In a speech on Thursday, Biden called for a major overhaul of the nation’s highest court to address what he sees as a threat to democracy.
Biden pointed to recent decisions by the Supreme Court, including one that upheld a restrictive abortion law in Texas and another that limited the ability of the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. He argued that these decisions represent a dangerous shift in the court’s priorities and threaten to erode the rights and protections that Americans have come to rely on.
The president also expressed concern about the influence of conservative groups like the Federalist Society, which he said have been instrumental in shaping the court’s current makeup. He warned that these groups are pushing an agenda that is out of step with the values and beliefs of most Americans, and called for a more balanced and representative court.
Biden’s call for a Supreme Court overhaul comes amid growing calls from progressives to expand the number of justices on the court. Some have argued that adding more justices would help to counterbalance the influence of the conservative majority and ensure a more fair and impartial judiciary.
While Biden did not explicitly endorse court-packing in his speech, he did suggest that reforms may be necessary to address the current imbalance on the court. He called for a bipartisan commission to study possible changes to the court, including term limits for justices and other structural reforms.
The president’s warning of an “extreme” agenda on the Supreme Court is likely to reignite a debate over the future of the judiciary in the United States. With key issues like abortion rights, voting rights, and climate change likely to come before the court in the coming years, the stakes are high for both sides of the political spectrum.
It remains to be seen whether Biden’s call for a Supreme Court overhaul will gain traction in Congress, where any changes to the court would require legislative action. But the president’s speech is a clear signal that he is committed to addressing what he sees as a threat to the fundamental principles of democracy and justice in America.