Biden and Dems target Supreme Court pre-2024.

The Supreme Court: A Political Foil for President Biden and Democrats

The Supreme Court is set to play a more prominent role as a political foil for President Joe Biden and Democrats in the lead-up to next year’s elections. However, they must navigate carefully to avoid accusations of hypocrisy from the GOP, who have been criticized for undermining democratic institutions.

The decisions made by the Supreme Court this term have been significant. From dismantling race-based affirmative action college admissions programs to blocking Biden’s student loan debt forgiveness proposal and ruling in favor of a Colorado wedding website designer in a gay rights case, these decisions serve as a reminder that elections have consequences. A Democratic strategist, who preferred to remain anonymous, stated, “It’s less about portraying the Supreme Court as the bogeyman and more about reminding people of the stakes and electing more Democrats to deliver important legislation.”

Jim Manley, another Democratic strategist, emphasized that Republicans have taken the Supreme Court more seriously than Democrats for years, and now the country is paying the price for this neglect. He urged Democrats, including President Biden, to aggressively highlight the rightward tilt of the Supreme Court in the upcoming elections, as the court’s unwillingness to follow precedent has eroded its legitimacy.

Paul Henderson, Vice President Kamala Harris’s former chief of administration, believes that Biden should counter the Supreme Court and its decisions through reforms. He pointed out that Republican-appointed justices have dominated the Supreme Court for over 50 consecutive years, imposing a right-wing agenda despite Democrats winning the popular vote in seven of the last eight presidential elections. Henderson argues that this disconnect between the court and the communities it governs undermines the legitimacy of the government and must be addressed in the upcoming election.

Biden has become increasingly critical of the Supreme Court since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, which overturned the landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade. This decision not only reminds the public of the importance of the issue during the Republican presidential primary, but it also provides Biden and Democrats with ammunition to describe the court as “extreme” or “MAGA Republican.” Additionally, concerns about ethics raised by conservative-appointed Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas further contribute to the narrative.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) expressed his disappointment with the Supreme Court’s decisions, stating that it will take a sustained effort to rebalance the federal courts and restore the values that have made the United States a beacon for freedom, democracy, equality, and opportunity. He emphasized that Senate Democrats will continue to approve federal court nominees who better reflect the values and diversity of the American public.

While Republicans have historically been motivated to vote due to the Supreme Court, recent exit polls found that abortion was the second priority after inflation. This suggests that the Biden v. Nebraska student loan decision, which appeals to younger, college-educated professionals, could incentivize their support for Biden and the Democratic Party in 2024. However, Biden’s average approval-disapproval rating remains relatively low.

Biden has criticized the Supreme Court as “not a normal court” and believes it has unraveled basic rights and decisions more than any court in recent history. He expressed his concern about the court’s decisions not aligning with the values of the American people.

Despite his opposition to Supreme Court reform, such as expanding the court, Biden acknowledged that some members of the court are beginning to realize that their legitimacy is being questioned in ways it hadn’t been before.

Source: The Washington Examiner