09-23-2020, 10:51 PM
(09-23-2020, 03:54 PM)David Horn Wrote:(09-23-2020, 01:01 PM)Eric the Green Wrote: Fall back measures in the Democrats win include reducing the filibuster to 55 rather than eliminating it, but if they can only do that, they should put back the filibuster to 55 for the Supreme Court too. The Democrats also need to make Puerto Rico a state and provide DC with two senators as soon as they can, to help balance the electoral college and the senate from its rural and southern majority, originally created to keep slave states in the union in 1787.
The filibuster is arbitrary, so it can be changed at the beginning of any new Congress. For now, it needs to go, if and only if the Dems intend to fight fire with fire, and legislate like crazy. Roe v Wade needs to be Federal Law, not a SCOTUS ruling. And the court? That needs to be restructured and quick.
Eric Wrote:Term limits for the Court have also been suggested, and I wonder if this could be made retroactive. I doubt it. Another idea is that the extra justices could be seated with the proviso that when future justices are added, they don't need to be replaced on death or retirement until the number goes back down to 9. The fanatical and extreme, ruthless nature of the Republican minority that now controls our country through the Senate, Electoral College and Supreme Court is, in my estimation, a temporary aberration, and so these court packing and filibuster measures could be made temporary as well.
Terms can be limited if the court is restructured. Suitable options: Every President gets 2 nominees per term, and the Justices serve a single 18 year term. It's been discussed in the past, and now may be the time.
Absolutely. Some Democrats have cold feet, and Durbin was tepid about all this on the Newshour tonight. We need to put fires under them. I wrote him and others an email.