GOP Takeover of the Supreme Court: What You Need to Know

[@jenn8403]

I get chills watching this guy speak. Gives me hope and confidence moving into this dark times. Thank you Robert Reich and your talented team for what you do.

[@bitwhys3920]

If they had real integrity Gorsuch would resign and Barrett would turn down the appointment.

[@Barry-rc5nf]

That's the problem, they have no integrity. There's no money to be made in integrity.

[@bitwhys3920]

@@Barry-rc5nf It's exposed their hypocrisy for years to come. Turns out Jesus is a total nihilist after all

[@trak2k]

I like Justice Gorsuch myself (it’s nice to have someone who is not from the East cost on the court). I didn’t like how he became a member of the Supreme Court. I would add Kavanaugh as well (what “professional acts like he did during his confirmation hearing?).

[@rootboycooks]

Thank you for making me laugh!

[@bitwhys3920]

@@rootboycooks What becoming laughable is the Supreme Court. This will cast a shadow on everything they do

[@tdalb8985]

Any thing that makes mitch mcconnell happy is bad for America.

[@foxbat51]

Mitch McConnell is what happens when your appearance changes to match what's in your soul.

[@lydiabell6218]

I cannot stand looking at him.

[@vanthadoun1]

I noticed that his hand is turning black. I hope that he is rotting from the inside just like how corrupt he is. I normally don't wish for any human being to suffer but Mitch isnt a human being so he can suffer and I would gladly watch.

[@torbennielsen7529]

Absolute power corrupts absolutely

[@Larkinchance]

Mitch McConnell in a fever, spent the last four years encouraging older conservative judges to retire early so that they may be replaced by younger conservative judges.. Going back to the Obama administration, didn't anyone think to encourage RBG, already in her 80's, to retire rather that to risk having to go through 2 republican terms? It wasn't that we didn't have faith in RBG, it was an important strategic move to preserve a balanced court.

[@ssmith2019]

A Government of the Corporations, by the Corporations and for the Corporations . . . . MUST PERISH ! ! ! ! !

[@QuestionEverythingButWHY]

“Death is only the end if you assume the story is about you.” ― Jeffrey Cranor

[@jawbone78]

Reread and try again.

[@claycountybrian5645]

In Missouri, IF you make LESS than $16,500 / YEAR , you DO NOT qualify for the Federal subsidy for the ACA . SO, I would pay $908/ MONTH for the same insurance that would cost me $38/MONTH, IF I made MORE than $16,500 a YEAR. Thanks Gov. Parsons. I'll remember that when Blunt and Hawley come up for re-election, too. VOTE NO to Agent Orange Thanks again, Robert Reich !! 871 thumbs up!

[@mskraft]

We need to restructure representation as well. The majority is under represented in both the house and senate because of lack of seats. Mid America should not have more representation for fewer people when coastal states have the opposite. Expand congress.

[@fnregistration]

Eliminating the electoral college would be a good first step. Then some kind of term limits for Supreme Court justices.

[@BluePatriotWinner]

Still waiting for this 2 years later!

[@lettingthebearout7528]

She should have stepped down when she was ill and when Obama had time to appoint someone else. Also, there should be term limits on the court.

[@luguy8347]

America took they’re lives for granted, grew lazy and unwilling to stand up for the rule of law. Failed Democracy. Karma.

[@whygohome172]

NO....they are standing up NOW....but being shot down with tear gas and rubber bullets.

[@jewulo]

@@whygohome172 I think that you have misunderstood the whole sentence. The sentence is not just about the going's on in America. It is also about the things America has done around the world. America has done many good things but the side effects of the bad things America has done far outweighs the good. Hence the final word. Karma.

[@QuestionEverythingButWHY]

“Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.” ― Mark Twain

[@susanw2869]

Dems need to grow a pair and play hard ball! Screw tradition, decorum, and precedent!

[@Nulibrium]

“Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster... for when you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you.”

[@helpyourcattodrive]

That’s what I said.

[@elizabetholiviaclark]

What does that mean, though? What do you mean specifically? I'm not being sarcastic. I'm just trying to understand what you want.

[@mskraft]

Dems are no longer the party of the people. They haven’t been in a long time. There is no real incentive for them to fight for us. I applaud the few soldiers we do have like The Squad and Sanders fighting both sides on our behalf, but there’s not enough of them. We need to vote in more so our voices are truly heard. Out with ALL the old on both sides. Time to get back to voting in true civil servants.

[@elizabetholiviaclark]

@@mskraft If you're talking about voting third party, that only helps Trump, because you'll only be dividing the Democratic vote. You will be helping Trump. The numbers will not work in third party favor, and if Trump wins reelection, there will be no hope for what you want. He will do what he wants, and none of us will like that. I don't think the nation can survive another four years of him. I would beg of you to reconsider and vote for Biden. He's not against anyone in the US. He's older, and he's white, so you do get older white man with him. But he is teachable. I would stake my life on it. If he doesn't see something he should be seeing, he will be willing to realize that and come around. He is teachable. Trump is not, not in any way. He's just trying to stay out of prison. As long as he's in the White House, he cannot be indicted. Please understand, a third party will not have the numbers to win this election. You will only be helping Trump, and he is very much against this democracy. I believe he will do anything to hurt us if Putin asks it of him.

[@thoughtfortheday7811]

Democrats, YOU MUST vote, in person, by mail ASAP, vote!

[@infotime9151]

Thank you Robert,, well said...

[@darlenefarmer5921]

Thank you

[@tomasinacovell4293]

I remember years ago reading something in the Atlantic or The Progressive magazine about how the Right-Wing, the Opus Dei were grooming their extremest females for these positions... it's attempted coup d'etat in a number of ways but it's got to be challenged with extreme prejudice because there's no light between her and Michelle Malkin, and Americans are just too naive now, babies ready for the slaughter.

[@Noone-of-your-Business]

What you need to do _most_ of all is to abolish the Electoral College.

[@anthonyg.marcello5082]

Thank you Robert

[@markhanohano]

I do have a question. If we were to lose the presidency to Trump but we were to gain both the house and the Senate could we possibly how both the house and the Senate add more justices make it 13 instead of nine so that rulings are more even? I don't believe there is anything in the Constitution that prevents us from increasing the amount of Chief justices. I wonder if this last ditch effort would work. It might not do much but at least it would help.

[@mickwessels8795]

TERM LIMITS for all Justices and Politicians.

[@helpyourcattodrive]

Great video Robert Reich.

[@4r1e71to]

I’ve never been scared of Trump until now. I always knew that if either the senate or him would try anything extreme then I knew the Supreme Court would intervene. I also knew that no matter what Trump did in his four years of office there was no way he was going to win the next election because by then I had assumed that the Democrats would’ve had a good candidate that could beat Trump in a landslide. However, I didn’t account for two things. 1. It was enough seats getting cleared up for Trump to fill them. 2. The Democrats’ need to lose for some reason. 2016 should’ve been a sure election, but it was close for understandable reasons, so I’m not too surprised that they lost. Now it should be a complete one sided election and somehow they’re still struggling. It’s like the Democrats are being intentionally incompetent for some reason.

[@freepalestine7687]

To keep the status quo alive. Both are so effin corrupt god knows why they are doing so much evil.

[@milfordcivic6755]

When RBG died, so did our democracy

[@elizabetholiviaclark]

No, it didn't. We're not exactly chopped liver, we citizens. We're going to have to work hard to make this right again, to get ourselves back on track, but our democracy is not dead. We're going to elect Joe Biden, flip the senate, get Russia out, and restore our system of government.

[@wesleymatthews6356]

The supreme court is not supposed to represent the people. Ita supposed to represent and enforce the constitution.

[@CynthiaSchoenbauer]

I love the conviction, Mr. Reich, with which you say these things! Thank you for taking such a strong stand for us.. It is a beautiful thing to see and an inspiration to me.

[@marcmatthie6119]

Robert, I love your service to our country

[@gackjt]

God bless America, remove the evil from this land.

[@ArtisticlyAlexis]

*If your state's on the following list, **_PLEASE_** vote in person* if you safely can, because the mail in ballots are processed too late to be counted on election night: *• NOVEMBER 3:* AL, KY, MI, MS, NY, ND, PA, WV, WI, WY. *• NOVEMBER 2:* IA, KS, LA (if more than 1K absentee ballots in a parish), UT, VT. *• NOVEMBER 1:* SC. *• OCTOBER 30:* DE. *• OCTOBER 29:* MO, NH, OK. *• OCTOBER 27:* AK, ME

[@Barry-rc5nf]

November 3: North Carolina too

[@helpyourcattodrive]

I’m loving your videos

[@stupendouslife8128]

VOTE HIM OUT AMERICA 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@cherylthomas417]

We also need to rethink the appointment of members of the Supreme Court for a lifetime. I think 10 years should be sufficient, and I think we need the same term limits on members of Congress.

[@yining200]

"You'll regret this, and you may regret this a lot sooner than you think." Turnabout is fair play.

[@HoundofOdin]

Why do we not VOTE for Supreme Court Justices? Why are these people appointed?

[@MrBrelindm]

Overwhelming force indeed!

[@harmonicamanrandy]

What does impeachment mean again? Apparently not a god damn thing.

[@Barry-rc5nf]

Never did. The people have the power to put someone in the office, but when they break the law the people have no power to remove them. Politicians have way to much unchecked power

[@smokindauberdoo4208]

Thank you FOR SHARING

[@uncinarynin]

Has the supreme court ever been nonpartisan? Could it be if its members are appointed along party lines by whoever happens to be in power if a seat becomes vacant? And how could it realistically be restructured?

[@Wiggy8]

Incredible injustice

[@krisk255]

The idea of a SCOTUS position being for life needs to be changed!

[@fenrislyulf8861]

These are such troubling times for the United States.

[@torimarshall9599]

This is a minor criticism, and I love your videos, but I gotta say it: when we talk about "women's access to birth control" all of the responsibility is placed on women. It takes two to tango, so let's please not place unnecessary burden on one party while letting the other off the hook. Men need to step up, and changing our language around birth control and responsible sex is a great place to start. Thanks for all your hard work!

[@ilikeoptter]

I can't help but wonder; in this time of political madness, foreign interference, and blatant executive and congressional corruption, RBG's death seems almost too convenient.

[@Barry-rc5nf]

Trump is BFFs with Putin, and people who oppose Putin seem to "disappear" or "have accidents" conveniently too

[@RexDexter]

What To Do About McConnell? Turtle Soup?

[@vickiecordon7887]

Yuck! Who will turtle soup?

[@d.virgallito3490]

They are going to do it Bob, I don't know anyone can stop the present GOP, the shit they are passing is a reminder.

[@LDogSmiles]

Love your videos, Professor!

[@ginabrenneman5012]

What can we do? I have reached out to Senator Toomey and he only dismisses my concerns with the line being delivered by the Republicans now...they have the right to place the next Supreme Court person...despite what the majority of the Americans say. Feeling so defeated. Who do they work for?

[@diannaskare7829]

THE SUPREME COURT SHOULD BE ***ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE!!

[@agisler87]

No, that will only make the supreme court more political. It is a disgrace how political SCOTUS has become. I think this is a result of voting for our senators rather than states picking senators. It quickly went down hill during Robert Bork's nomination.

[@itsmewende]

Restructure it, I'd be happier seeing it gone along with the electoral college. Let the States handle their own law suits, seems those judges are actually more likely to follow the law, or at least put term limits on them.

[@AlexM-wq7in]

There are a number of ways to reform the judiciary and they can be used together. One is to increase the size of the court to create new vacancies to fill. Another is to include court-stripping provisions in laws. Citizens United could be overturned by including the phrase "this law shall not be subject to judicial review by the US Supreme Court" in a campaign finance reform bill. Another is to pass a law subjecting the Supreme Court to term limits, and to include a court-stripping provision of that bill to protect it from being struck down by the court's right-wing majority.

[@ammarsaleh5437]

"Justice is the foundation of Kingship (Reign). With out it The Power becomes Oppressive." -Prophet Muhammad.

[@elizabetholiviaclark]

I'm not Muslim, but that sounds like common sense to me. When the king is just and benevolent, the people are content. I'm at least thankful that Trump isn't the king of some nation. They wouldn't have a chance if he had absolute power for the rest of his life.

[@randomentity6553]

I hate it when anyone makes me agree with anything from the "writings of muhammad", but there you go.

[@ammarsaleh5437]

@@randomentity6553 lol you really made me smile. May God cheer you up and guid you to his path. Muhammad pbuh. Was one of the most influential people to ever live. Even if you disagree. Reading his life will change your perspective about him...."seek the truth and the truth shall free you" -Jesus Christ pbuh.

[@tonyk4615]

Help, something’s wrong with me! I’m a lifelong republican and former dittohead who finds myself agreeing with Robert Reich and watching all of his videos! What happened?

[@Redskirt]

He makes a lot of sense, doesn't he?

[@tonyk4615]

Lea Rothrock yep

[@007vsMagua]

I agree with 100% force. The Democrats must step up and get tough.

[@서울남자-f6f]

You are the real professor in this dark age.

[@helpyourcattodrive]

The dems need to be meaner.

[@dj4745]

Once the Dems get in we need to increase Progressives!

[@wbdill]

And add PR and DC as a state so the Senate is less perpetually lopsided. This will help with all SCOTUS nominations as well as the EC.

[@boreed5734]

When McConnell is gone it will be a glorious day in America.

[@madrush24]

I'm so furious about this, but what can I possibly do?

[@freepalestine7687]

Vote them out and call the criminals names!!!

[@chuckkottke]

Term limits for supreme court justices; amend the Constitution and put it in writing. In the next year, expand the number of justices to reflect balanced opinions in the court, lest we get another Citizens United ruling.

[@josephineananda]

Even greater force.

[@suninmoon4601]

And yet the rest of the country continues to go along with it like lambs to slaughter.

[@robinpotter3475]

SCOTUS ethic rules are lower than all other judges. What kinda crap is that? And you don't have to be a lawyer to be a justice? What??

[@freddyogbonda4651]

I love this Man

[@OnlineMD]

Love the Mitch-drool picture! :) Such a cool, calculating, shrewd schemer.

[@hugenotjoe1486]

"We must see the GOP's exercise of raw power for what it is, and meet it with even greater force." You're starting to sound like a revolutionary firebrand, Robert. This is modern day pamphleteering and I like it.

[@DerekSpeareDSD]

Handmaid's Tale is on the way...

[@robinpotter3475]

Barrett isn't qualified or fit to fill RBG seat. Even if it were on the up and up.

[@rievans57]

Unfortunately Biden did not do that.

[@deborahszeredy856]

Why can't we file an injunctive relief in the selection of the supreme court seat due to the fact that the seat was vacted Sept 18 yet this election began on September 4. When ballots were sent to NC voters. We were already 14 days into the 2020 election?????

[@bitjockey6265]

Mr. Reich: As President Obama so bluntly reminded us: Elections have consequences.

[@mrduckman225]

This one was really good. It really makes you think when ppl say the whole system is b.s that this is a big part of it. That and Dems never fighting and enabling them to do this.

[@BatMan-oe2gh]

Man, I much prefer our system in Australia. If a Sitting Politician for whatever reason, leaves their seat vacant, then a By-Election is held in that Seats area, and only the constituents who live in that Seats area can vote there. No one appointing anyone, that is how you end up with corruption. So, it looks like America will be rule by the Minority.

[@moretimethanmoney8611]

Maybe we'll finally get back to musket duels, and fencing (sword fighting, not property lines). We never left slavery behind. It was institutionalized.

[@tfodthogtmfof7644]

We simply traded the “unseemly” chains of iron and the lash of the overseer for the imprisonment of poverty and the pain of hunger and need of medical care. They never abolished slavery they merely hid it away out of sight of most.

[@vicentvanmole]

sad is the fact nothing seems can be done because GOP & T aren't playing by the rules. Until" they "can hold everyone of those GOP accountable by removing them .Otherwise they will continue to flex their muscle for their corrupted intention .

[@gwine9087]

Much of the world used to look at the US as an ideal. This nomination, the antics of Trump et al, in the election, etc. have shown the world what the US has become, and it isn't pretty.

[@angiealexis3717]

Sign me up.

[@spacetruckerbob]

Anyone here remember back when you catch people laying all the time people stop trusting them?

[@nrsub7471]

About time this government gets on the straight and narrow. Demos - civil rights steelers

[@renzg5669]

hypocrisy/hypocrites 1 of the worst things 1 can be.

[@thesoundsmith]

Why can't we REDUCE the number of Justices on the Court to FIVE? Removing the last three illegal/unethical appointments? THEN do the same for ALL Federal Courts - last in, first out - and send Mitch's incompetent Corporate Loyalists packing? It would be better than my first idea, the NRA Solution. Which is STILL not off the table. America must do not what is nice, but what is necessary.

[@mikewazowski350]

SCOTUS should be elected every 8 years and each should represent 9 regions of America. Each election they need to collect 65% affirmative votes. If they don't, then they are removed the following election cycle. This would give each party, (D, R, I) to put forth their replacement for the region. The one with the highest vote count would take the open seat.

[@markosullivan4095]

The big problem,as I see it Robert. looking from outside, is that US politics is too influential in appointing judges. They should be non partisan, a far better method of interpreting the US constitution.

[@DesertFox1978MJ-rd3tc]

when you read the history and the chain of events which led to the civil war 150 years ago and compare it to the social, economical and political situation of 2020 and the chain of events which has brought us to this exact moment there is only one conclusion you can reach. US democracy (or whatever you want to call it) has failed, and this means another civil war. the end of democracy in the world because as defective our system is (or maybe was) it was still the model democracy for most of the world. our failure is the begining of another dark age. the begining of an unprecedented crisis, resurgence of fascism around the world, rapid decline of global security, economy and the destruction of global environment and total chaos. trump should have been removed one way or another during the past 4 years, he should not have been allowed to run as the gop candidate back in 2016. even if he is somehow removed from power in 6 weeks from now the damage he and gop have done is irreversible. in a mere 4 years the gop under trump has managed to completely destroy the sole of US constitution. i am just tired of calling them names. and i am tired of thinking what is about to follow. there is no hope for anything.

[@dioxideuniversal]

there was already absolutely nothing nonpartisan about scotus even at the time of this video. you can't divorce the robed houdini-ism out of it as long as there's a single partisan judge on the bench.

[@TheBigGSN5]

8-1. Only Sotomayor has any sense.

[@brothertaro2008]

"I want you to use my words against me. If there's a Republican president in 2016 and a vacancy occurs in the last year of the first term, you can say Lindsey Graham said let's let the next president, whoever it might be, make that nomination." -- OK, Lindsey, I am using your words against you.

[@viperswhip]

given how rarely Supreme Court positions actually come up, I don't see why Congress couldn't say, put out a list of 12 judges, and why they are supported by whoever, and let the fucking people vote on them.

[@blkhemi3925]

It'll be interesting to see exactly how many decades of human right progression will be wiped out.

[@helpyourcattodrive]

Trump out.

[@tomthebomb557]

The solution to this is easy...Dissolve the Supreme Court and make new rules to confirmation.

[@DSentomXHunta]

it's really between Mitch McConnel and Bernie Sanders. not Trump vs Biden.

[@Tommy_Mac]

Also remember that due to McConnell's posturing, Obama's appointee, Merrick Garland, was refused consideration. McConnell also forced Obama to leave ~120 federal judgeships to be vacant at the end of his term. Vote Blue; our country depends on YOU!

[@dedalus6982]

Someone call the Whaaambalance.

[@ServantJoe]

I understand what you said, but the constitution is the constitution. The US Constitution have been follow as Presidents fulfill their constitutional responsibility.

[@MrZZooh]

Pack the court. Biden should openly confirm that and say that he is at least open to exapanding to 13 judges. It's completely constitutional.

[@vanessaflynn8447]

I am a old lady and. I am not a Gullible Person. The Democrats needs to put some Supreme Court Justices n the Courts. The People who Votes has to save Democracy. The People who Votes has to make sure America do not Fall like Rome. We have to try to make this World. A Better Place for the Next Generation and the Next Generation. We have to b Very Careful who we Vote for. Some of The Republicans r acting like Dictators and that's a Fact.

[@gackjt]

Bad boys, bad boys whatcha gonna do???????

[@zecuse]

Voting is NOT a term limit. Nothing stops someone from running again (except for the presidency) in the same or different district/city/state. If term limits ever become a thing, they should apply nationwide for all federal level positions. Obviously states would have to decide if they would follow a similar system and I'm of the opinion that lower seats of power deserve longer limits because the constituents of those seats have more power to control them. Fun fact: someone can be president for more than 2 terms. Hint: the 22nd amendment only limits _elections._