Democrats Propose Expanding Supreme Court and Ending Lifetime Appointments

Congressional Democrats have introduced approximately a dozen proposals to overhaul the Supreme Court of the United States, citing frustration over a conservative shift and rulings on abortion, presidential power, and the Voting Rights Act. The proposed reforms include expanding the number of justices from nine to 13, replacing lifetime appointments with 18-year term limits, establishing an enforceable ethics code, and creating standards for the shadow docket.

Democratic leaders argue these measures are necessary to restore ideological balance and credibility to the judiciary. Some members of the party's Democratic Socialist wing have gone further, campaigning for the total abolition of the court. While some leaders have called for dramatic reform, others have explicitly endorsed expanding the bench.

Republicans and conservative advocates, including representatives from Advancing American Freedom, dismiss the proposals as attempts to intimidate the court into changing its legal decisions. Legal scholars have warned that such structural changes could further politicize the bench, suggesting alternatives like a lottery system for case assignment.

Lawmakers acknowledge that these reforms are unlikely to pass under current conditions. Implementation would require Democrats to regain total control of both the White House and Congress, as well as the elimination of the Senate filibuster.