Biden pledges to name progressives to the Supreme Court, suggesting he expects vacancies | CNN Politics
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President Joe Biden promised Black voters Wednesday that he would appoint progressives to the US Supreme Court if elected to a second term, suggesting he expects vacancies on the high court over the next four years.

President Joe Biden promised Black voters Wednesday that he would appoint progressives to the US Supreme Court if elected to a second term, suggesting he expects vacancies on the high court over the next four years.

“The next president, they’re going to be able to appoint a couple justices, and I’ll be damned — if in fact we’re able to change some of the justices when they retire and put in really progressive judges like we’ve always had, tell me that won’t change your life,” he said during a campaign rally in Philadelphia.

It was as explicit a warning as Biden could offer about the stakes of the upcoming election, and a clear reminder that some of the nine justices have entered their seventies.

Clarence Thomas is 75 and Samuel Alito is 74; both are conservative and appointed by Republican presidents. Sonia Sotomayor, a liberal who was nominated by President Barack Obama, turns 70 next month.

  • frezik
    9·
    7 months ago

    Unlike what most people think, executive orders aren’t magic documents that lets the President legislate whatever they want on a whim. There are limits. They’ve grown a lot in scope over the decades, and if anything they need to be pulled back, but there are still limits.

    • JodeEnglish
      5·
      7 months ago

      I agree, and on paper you are correct. But also I have moved to the “it’s the thought that counts” side of things. It seems to be more effective politicking these days to try and ram through something like an abortion EO and use the inevitable opposition (and legal?) pushback to say “see I’m fuckin trying over here” rather than to just stand there idly brandishing “plans” this is something the left needs to learn from the right. See the senate: Chuck Schumer should have started impeachment inquiries into Alito and Thomas yesterday, knowing full well they aren’t actually going anywhere. It puts the issue in front of people.

      • frezik
        11·
        7 months ago

        I see what you’re saying, but I’m also already foreseeing the next set of whiners saying “Biden knew it would fail, and he only did it to pretend to do something”. Which I’ve seen with student loan forgiveness.

        • Verdant Banana@lemmy.world
          31·
          7 months ago

          no he did some less than quarter ass measure for student loan forgiveness, asked for more votes/ funding, and then that was it same as with women’s rights

          and acted like he almost did as much as his god could do

          atrophied is the same as actively supporting fascism with speeches, policies, and laws