{"id":2073783,"date":"2023-10-20T06:22:02","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T10:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-democrats-push-supreme-court-term-limits-to-make-justices-more-accountable-to-the-american-people\/"},"modified":"2023-10-20T06:26:28","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T10:26:28","slug":"senate-democrats-push-supreme-court-term-limits-to-make-justices-more-accountable-to-the-american-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-democrats-push-supreme-court-term-limits-to-make-justices-more-accountable-to-the-american-people\/","title":{"rendered":"Senate Democrats advocate for Supreme Court term limits to enhance justices&#8217; accountability to the American people."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsenate-democrats-push-supreme-court-term-limits-to-make-justices-more-accountable-to-the-american-people%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2073783&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>A Group of Senate Democrats Propose Term Limits for Supreme Court Justices<\/h2>\n<p>A group of Senate\u2064 Democrats has put forth a proposal to limit the terms of Supreme Court justices \u200dto \u200b18 years. The aim of this proposal is to increase accountability and \u2063ensure that the Court is more responsive to the \u200dAmerican people.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Announced on Oct. 19, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.senate.gov\/imo\/media\/doc\/he_supreme_court_biennial_appointments_and_term_limits_act.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">bill<\/a> would require the president to\u200b appoint a\u2064 new justice \u200bevery two \u200cyears. After serving for \u206218 years, justices would no longer be \u2064able to hear cases\u200d on the \u2062appellate docket, where most of the Court&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-democrats-push-supreme-court-term-limits-to-make-justices-more-accountable-to-the-american-people\/\" title=\"Senate Democrats advocate for Supreme Court term limits to enhance justices' accountability to the American people.\">major cases historically originate<\/a>, such \u200bas Dobbs v. Jackson Women&#8217;s Health and \u2064Roe v. Wade.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>However,\u200d even after \u200cthe 18-year term, justices would still be able to hear a smaller subset of cases that fall under their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uscourts.gov\/about-federal-courts\/educational-resources\/about-educational-outreach\/activity-resources\/supreme-1#:~:text=Original%20jurisdiction%20means%20that%20the,and%20other%20high%2Dranking%20ministers.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">original jurisdiction<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<blockquote>\n<h2>Related Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div class=\"grow\">\n        <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/states-ask-supreme-court-to-block-epa-plan-that-may-cause-blackouts-5512812?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>States Ask Supreme Court \u200dto Block EPA Plan That May Cause Blackouts<\/h3>\n<p>        <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption\">10\/18\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div class=\"grow\">\n        <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/supreme-court-opinion-doesnt-change-plans-to-regulate-oil-gas-emissions-guilbeault-5511882?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>Supreme Court Opinion Doesn&#8217;t Change Plans to Regulate Oil, \u2063Gas\u2063 Emissions: Guilbeault<\/h3>\n<p>        <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption\">10\/17\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), the author of the legislation, released a statement on Oct. 19 criticizing\u200b the influence\u2064 of right<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/defending-the-rights-of-hoosier-girls-to-fair-competition-in-athletics\/\" title=\"Defending The Rights Of Hoosier Girls To Fair Competition In Athletics  \u00a0\">-wing special interests<\/a> \u200don the Supreme\u200c Court. He argued that term limits and biennial appointments would make the Court more representative of the public \u2063and reduce the significance of each justice&#8217;s appointment, while\u200d still <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-justice-john-roberts-refuses-to-testify-before-congress\/\" title=\"Supreme Court Justice John Roberts Refuses to Testify Before Congress\">preserving judicial independence<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This\u2062 proposal comes at a time when \u2063concerns about the age of public servants, such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), have been raised. The \u200bmost recent retirement from the Supreme Court was Justice Stephen \u200cBreyer, who left the Court at the age of \u200c83.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Sen. Whitehouse&#8217;s statement appears to target groups like the\u200c Judicial Crisis Network (JCN), which he has previously called out by name. JCN\u2062 has been involved in influencing judicial\u2064 nominations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Carrie Severino, the president\u2063 of JCN, accused Sen. Whitehouse of attempting to \u2064eliminate originalist judges through this legislation. She argued \u200bthat the real agenda behind the proposal is to remove justices like Clarence \u200dThomas, whom she worked for as a clerk.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Sen. Whitehouse has\u200c been engaged in an ongoing campaign against\u200b the Court, according to Severino. She believes that his latest threat is an attempt to remove originalist justices, starting with Justice Thomas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\"><figcaption>Associate Justice Clarence Thomas sits during a\u200b group photograph of the justices at the Supreme Court in Washington on \u200cApril 23, 2021. \u200c(Erin \u2062Schaff\/Pool\/AFP \u200dvia Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Justice \u200bThomas is currently the longest-serving justice on the \u2063Court, having assumed office in 1991. Chief Justice John\u2062 Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, both nominated by former President George W. Bush, have\u200c served the second-longest terms.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Sen. Whitehouse has previously filed an ethics complaint against Justice Alito and expressed his intention\u200b to investigate Justice Thomas.\u200d These actions were prompted by disclosures \u200dof gifts received by Justice Thomas from billionaire Harlan Crowe.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>The bill is sponsored by seven other Democrats, including Sens. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), \u2062and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Traditionally, Supreme Court justices have \u200bheld lifetime tenure, with\u200d the understanding \u2063that they should base their rulings on the law rather \u2063than popular interests.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Whitehouse argues\u200d that his \u200dbill would\u2062 depoliticize Court appointments. However, \u200dunder his plan, \u200bthe \u200btotal number\u2064 of justices could potentially increase as they continue to hear original jurisdiction\u200c cases even after their 18-year term on the appellate \u2062docket.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Many senators from both parties have expressed support for term limits while expressing\u200b concerns about the Court&#8217;s actions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Some senators, such as the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), have defended lifetime tenure \u2063for justices.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>According to Article III of the\u2063 U.S. Constitution, judges, including Supreme Court \u200bjustices, hold their offices during good \u200dbehavior, which is generally interpreted as lifetime tenure.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Sen.\u2062 Josh \u2063Hawley (R-Mo.) has\u200d proposed\u2063 an\u200c alternative rotational scheme, suggesting that appellate judges temporarily serve on the Supreme Court. This would allow for continuity while still adhering to the principle of lifetime tenure.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Sen. \u2063Marco\u200c Rubio (R-Fla.)\u2062 has\u200c previously called for a constitutional convention to establish\u200c term\u2063 limits \u200dfor Supreme Court justices and members of Congress.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>With Republicans securing a conservative majority on \u200bthe Court and controversial rulings being issued, the political Left has \u200bbeen advocating for Court reforms. Sen. Whitehouse is\u200d among those proposing changes to make the Court more accountable to the \u200dwill of the people.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Planned Parenthood, a prominent abortion provider, has also proposed term limits, citing concerns about\u200b the Court&#8217;s legitimacy and its\u2062 alignment with the majority of the American public.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Sen. Whitehouse&#8217;s legislation has received endorsements from various groups, including Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Demand Justice, and the Brennan Center for Justice.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What are \u2063the concerns raised by opponents of term limits for Supreme\u2064 Court justices?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  However, proponents of term limits argue that they would \u200bhelp prevent \u2064justices from\u2063 becoming too powerful and would ensure a more\u2064 diverse \u2063and representative Court. They argue that lifetime appointments can lead\u200b to\u2062 justices staying \u200con the bench\u2064 well \u2063into old age, which may affect their cognitive abilities and their ability \u200bto effectively serve on\u2064 the Court.<\/p>\n<p>Opponents of term limits, on the \u200dother hand, argue that they would undermine\u2064 the independence\u2064 of the judiciary and could lead to\u200d a more \u200bpoliticized Court. They argue that by imposing term limits, justices may be more inclined to make decisions based on political considerations rather than purely on the \u2064law.<\/p>\n<p>It is worth noting that the proposal\u2063 put \u200bforth by the Senate \u200bDemocrats does not completely eliminate lifetime \u2062tenure for Supreme Court justices. Justices \u2063would still\u2062 be able to serve \u2062on the Court in a \u2063reduced capacity after their 18-year term. This allows for\u200b a balance between ensuring accountability and preserving judicial \u200dindependence.<\/p>\n<p>The proposal has garnered both\u2064 support and criticism from various\u2062 groups and politicians. Supporters \u2064argue that term \u2064limits\u200c would <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cnn-reveals-new-details-about-its-prime-time-schedule\/\" title=\"CNN unveils fresh prime-time schedule insights.\">bring fresh perspectives<\/a> to the Court and ensure that\u200c the judiciary remains \u200bin\u2062 touch with the changing views and values of \u200dthe American people. Critics, on the other hand, argue that term limits could lead to \u200da more unstable Court and may undermine its role as a check on the\u200c other branches of government.<\/p>\n<p>It remains to be seen whether this\u200b proposal will gain traction in the Senate and \u2064whether\u2064 it will ultimately become law. With\u200c the current political climate and the\u2062 deeply divided views on the Supreme Court, any \u2062changes to the tenure of\u200b Supreme Court justices are likely to be contentious.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, the proposal to impose term limits on Supreme Court justices put forth by a\u200b group of Senate Democrats aims to increase accountability and responsiveness in the\u200b Court. While supporters argue that term limits would ensure a more diverse \u2064and representative Court, critics warn that it could undermine judicial independence and politicize\u200b the Court. The proposal\u2062 is likely\u200b to spark further debate \u200band discussion on the role and future of the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A bill introduced by Senate Democrats on Oct. 19 aims to make Supreme Court justices more accountable by limiting their terms to 18 years. Under the proposed legislation, a new justice would be appointed every two years, ensuring they do not retain the ability to hear cases beyond the specified term.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":655,"featured_media":2073784,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2073783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2073783","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/655"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2073783"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2073783\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2073784"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2073783"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2073783"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2073783"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}