SCOTUS is now, and as things stand, irreparably damaged and corrupt. The Founders would weep if they knew what was happening. No doubt the Founders would also be uncertain how the institution they so revered could have been allowed to become so mired in its own muck.
In his Wall Street Journal pre-defense to the ProPublica story, the want-to-be billionaire, Samuel Alito, dared whine how the current SCOTUS has been put under intense and ‘unfair’ political scrutiny like never before. He also, of course, failed to take any responsibility.
Alito’s sharp legal mind failed to connect the intense ethical degradations he and Clarence Thomas (and Ginni Thomas) have continued to practice to that unwanted ‘scrutiny.’ He overlooked that he, Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh functionally perjured themselves at their Congressional hearings in their strong support for precedent and, specifically, Roe.
Alito has ignored that the current SCOTUS has a hard Right packed majority courtesy of the Federalist Society with an increased number of their decisions compromising precedent as well as the health and welfare of American citizens in order to please corporate and evangelical sponsors.
Alito failed to reference SCOTUS ‘decisions’ that have demeaned, degraded and ended well established precedent and, for the first time in our history, have directly ended rather than enhanced constitutional Rights. Such was the case in the catastrophic and uniquely destructive Dobbs decision though this is but one example.
The current hard fundamentalist Right, Federalist Society stacked SCOTUS shames our nation and our Constitution. It’s internal corruption is still intensifying over which Chief Justice John Roberts takes no responsibility, or refuses to exercise, his authority. Roberts is creating his legacy of judicial and constitutional destruction and indifference. This current SCOTUS has also done incalculable damage to this nation’s health, welfare and politic which won’t be reparable for at least a generation short of direct congressional action.
To this end, I offer the following recommendations:
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Congressional legislation is needed immediately to strongly establish, at the minimum, the same enforceable ethics code expected from any federal judge. SCOTUS justices are, in fact, still federal court justices. Recusal, when clearly relevant, should not be a ‘choice’ for SCOTUS justices.
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The process of impeaching a SCOTUS justices must be made doable in the face of more egregious and repeated ethical, or related, violations.
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The White House must use the Constitution to add 3 SCOTUS justices towards to a far more balanced judicial process which will also serve to return integrity and respect to SCOTUS.
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Lifetime appointments to SCOTUS must be ended effective immediately. The terms of currently seated Justices should end in 8 years with new appointees given a 10 or 12 year non renewable term.
Balance must be returned and, if necessary, pushed on SCOTUS along with for those who continue to defend what is now absolutely and still increasingly indefensible. This includes from within as indicated by the self absorbed, self righteous and absolutely clueless tantrums with priority to Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas.
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito: Gone fishin'