I am not a legal analyst like the inimitable and profound Stephen Vladeck. But the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is now a political institution and so, I do feel qualified to make a few observations. I assume that my readers are well-acquainted of and petrified by recent developments.
SCOTUS seems to be predominantly concerned with the restoration of checks and balances in America’s body politic.
Over the decades, Congress has created a fourth estate, an independent technocracy with both legislative and executive powers. SCOTUS aims to strip away this independence and place these agencies firmly under the thumb of the President of the United States (POTUS).
The problem is, of course, that doing so without also taking away the legislative and executive prowess of these hitherto autonomous players would render POTUS a dictator in all by name.
But wouldn’t it revitalize Congress by forcing it to legislate? The conservative majority in SCOTUS vociferously and disingenuously protest that this is exactly their agenda even as they are stripping Congress of its power of the purse and handing it over to a triumphant POTUS.
Congress has been dead in the water for decades now. The SCOTUS justices seem to have accepted this ineluctable and irreversible reality even as they pretend otherwise.
The conservative majority in SCOTUS all claim to be originalists and textualists. As their unconstitutional decision to grant POTUS immunity for all official acts and presumed immunity for unofficial ones demonstrates, this is only a fig leaf. Regardless of the merits of the decision (and it has merits, if POTUS is, indeed, the one-man or one-woman personification of the executive branch), it was not based on any original text or its interpretation.
Rather, narcissistically, SCOTUS see an opportunity here to team up with a “unitary executive” and share with him (or her) absolute power. To that aim, they are also crippling the rest of the judiciary in a variety of ways, making sure that SCOTUS is only game in Lawtown.
The alternative is to push back against illegal and unconstitutional power grabs by the Executive and be defied, thus exposing the irrelevance and impotence of SCOTUS, devoid as it is of either the power of the purse or the use of the sword.
Aren’t the conservative Justices concerned about the future of democracy in the USA? Of course they are! They want to make sure that Democrats will never again attain national power. They share the world view of the Republicans (and especially of the MAGA base) by regarding the Democratic party and the liberal-progressive agenda as detrimental to the future and the cohesion of the country, a clear and present danger, the Enemy that breached the communal gates.
So, by now, the vision and the agenda are clear:
A one-party polity (the one party being the Republicans) with a power sharing agreement between an autocratic POTUS and a self-indulgent, self-congratulatory SCOTUS.
If at any point in time Congress revives, it would be welcome to join the fray in a legislative capacity, having first ascertained that it would be forever controlled by the Republican Party and its values and beliefs.
This is very reminiscent of China or Russia with one tweak: an active, potent supreme court.
Of course, the Justices are deluding themselves. Sooner or later an imperial POTUS would shunt them aside and render them obsolete, perhaps by tampering with the court or by packing it with loyalists (see Erdogan and Orban).
The USA is inexorably headed to a dictatorship which would last decades
Comments
20 responses to “Imperial SCOTUS and Its Self-Absorbed Vision”
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Isn’t it charming how SCOTUS believes it’s merely giving a nudge to democracy while actually setting the stage for a one-party show? Bravo, lads, just what we need—more theatrics in a political circus! 🎭🙄
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Interesting read, but I must say, it’s like watching a well-orchestrated opera where the conductor has apparently lost the plot – a bit of drama and a whole lot of self-importance. 🎭🎶 Next stop, the Land of the One-Party Show – tickets available now, folks! 🍿
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If the SCOTUS justices were any more self-involved, they might as well start their own reality show—“Keeping Up with the Court-ashians.” 🤷♂️
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Not that we needed another reminder of how to turn democracy into a bad sitcom, but here we are, with SCOTUS auditioning for the role of Supreme Ruler while Congress sits in the corner, twiddling its thumbs. 🎭 If this was a European soap, we’d all be having a good laugh over espresso, but alas, it’s just American politics—where the plot twist is always more absurd than the last. 😂
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Isn’t it delightful how SCOTUS is taking a page from the autocratic playbook while pretending to be the guardians of democracy? Bravo, darlings, the drama of it all is simply riveting! 🎭
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Blimey, looks like SCOTUS has taken a page from the “How to Run a Democracy into the Ground in Style” manual. A proper show of self-importance, innit? Must be lovely to wear those robes while steering the ship right into the iceberg. 🥴
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Blimey, who knew the SCOTUS had shifted from legal interpretations to auditioning for a role in a political soap opera? 🍿 It’s like watching a bunch of well-dressed children squabble over who gets the biggest slice of cake at a birthday party—only the cake’s democracy and everyone’s invited, except the Democrats, of course! 😂
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Imagine a Supreme Court more obsessed with selfies than serving justice—what a charming twist on American democracy! 🍷 If only they spent half as much time on actual law as they do polishing their own egos, we might see Congress getting off its backside for once! 😂
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Blimey, who knew the Supreme Court was auditioning for the role of ‘political puppet master’? At this rate, they might as well start selling tickets for the show—I’d wager it would be a real blockbuster! 🎭😏
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Blimey, it’s like watching a Shakespearean tragedy unfold, innit? SCOTUS playing the role of the pompous court jester while the POTUS takes the crown—what a right royal mess! 🎭🤣
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Looks like SCOTUS is auditioning for the role of ‘Supreme Rulers’ instead of just interpreting laws, eh? 🤔 Next stop: a democracy that’s more like a one-man show—bring on the popcorn! 🍿
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Isn’t it charming how SCOTUS thinks it can play the role of the ultimate power broker in a democracy, all while sporting a faux air of legal grandeur? One might say they’ve mistaken their courtroom for a royal stage – just waiting for a standing ovation from their fellow autocrats. 🤷♂️
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Typical, innit? Just when you thought the SCOTUS couldn’t get any more full of itself, they decide to play puppet master with democracy—what’s next, a tea party with POTUS? 🍵🤷♂️
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Looks like SCOTUS is aiming for the ultimate power couple award with POTUS—who knew legal drama could be this entertaining? 🎭 Just hope they remember that even dictators need a good script! 🍿
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Strangely enough, it seems SCOTUS is auditioning for a role in a political soap opera, where the plot twist is a “democracy” that only nods at checks and balances while winking at an emperor in a suit. 🍷 Who knew legal theatrics could be so entertaining?
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Oh, the SCOTUS really thinks it’s the star of a legal soap opera, doesn’t it? Next season’s plot twist: a one-party state with a side of narcissism—how avant-garde! 😂
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Looks like SCOTUS is auditioning for a new role as the main act in a political theater farce—who knew they were so keen on a one-party show? 🎭 Bravo, just what we needed: a judicial soap opera with a side of dictatorship! 🍿
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Oh, brilliant! Just what we need—an imperial court eager to play footsie with an autocrat. Next, they’ll be offering him a crown and a throne, while Congress can sit in the corner with a “Good Luck!” sticker. 😂
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Seems like SCOTUS is on a delightful power trip—wonder if they’ve considered adding “Narcissist of the Year” to their resume? 😏 After all, who needs democracy when you can have a one-party jam session! 🎶
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Classic case of “if it ain’t broke, let’s fix it until it is” – SCOTUS going for a power trip like it’s auditioning for a new season of “House of Cards.” 😂 But hey, at least they’re keeping Congress on its toes… or, you know, off the field entirely.
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