Obama “Warns” the Supreme Court
Is this intimidation?
“I’m confident that the Supreme Court will not take what would be an unprecedented, extraordinary step of overturning a law that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically elected Congress,” Obama said. “And I’d just remind conservative commentators that for years what we’ve heard is the biggest problem on the bench was judicial activism or a lack of judicial restraint, that an unelected group of people would somehow overturn a duly constituted and passed law. Well, this is a good example. And I’m pretty confident that this court will recognize that and not take that step.”
During President Obama’s first State of the Union address he gratuitously insulted the members of the Court in front of a national television audience. In his most recent appearance, he appeared to me to snub Justice Roberts on his way to the podium. Will any of this work? What do you think?
The president’s speech falls short of intimidation. After all, political rhetoric is the ammunition politicians fight with. However, the speech is definitely sowing the seeds for an attack on the integrity of the High Court. The president is reminding the justices in a not-so-subtle way how their decision will be spun if the outcome isn’t the one desired by the Administration.
I have just finished reading again Burt Folsom’s New Deal or Raw Deal. The similarities between FDR and BHO are very interesting.
For decades the SCOTUS has given the State ever more power. Better beware, there is a risk in concentrated power.
Yes, it’s intimidation.
This type of rhetoric could backfire. Instead of intimidating the Supreme Court, Obama may embolden the Supreme Court to exercise its power as an equal branch of government.
We know that Scalito and Thomas will vote it down. The question marks are Roberts and Kennedy. Will they be intimidated?