Vice President Kamala Harris has opened the door to reforming the United States Supreme Court, in particular after the highly controversial decision to eliminate the federal right to abortion. The Democratic presidential candidate Harris spoke to a CNN town hall in Pennsylvania on October 23, recognizing changes may be necessary but offering few details. “I do believe that there should be some kind of reform of the court, and we can study what that looks like,” she said.
The broader meeting focused on governmental changes, including an end to the filibuster, a procedure allowing members to delay a vote on congressional bills indefinitely. Harris has suggested she could support such a reform, as it might help pass legislation more easily.
The Vice President made it clear that any reforming of the Supreme Court and the filibuster emanate from deep outrage felt by millions over the erosion of abortion rights in the country. Asked about difficulties codifying Roe v. Wade, the legal decision that previously protected abortion rights, Harris said directly that it might mean rethinking the filibuster.
The Supreme Court has been under increasing pressure, especially since it shifted further to the right with three appointments made during former President Donald Trump’s term in office, creating a 6-3 conservative majority. Trump has used his court appointments as one selling point, bragging about overturning Roe v. Wade.
Harris has attempted to galvanize voters disaffected by the series of recent court decisions, including the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson decision that nullified Roe v. Wade, which she characterized as part of a lack of faith in the courts. “The American people are losing confidence increasingly in the Supreme Court,” she said, citing the actions and decisions of some justices for that erosion of confidence.
The Vice President criticized the court for reversing a 50-year-old precedent protecting women’s rights over their bodies, which has given way to harsh abortion restrictions by individual states. “This is probably one of the most fundamental freedoms that we as Americans could imagine,” Harris said, underscoring how reproductive rights should be treated as paramount.
Public confidence in the Supreme Court has reached historic lows; a recent Pew Research Center poll shows 51 percent of respondents holding unfavorable views of the court. Questions about justices’ ethical standards have also arisen, further shaking public confidence.
While some Democrats have pressed for reforms, such as expanding the number of justices on the bench, the party has been more circumspect, lest it appear to entrench partisanship further. Biden has advanced proposals for term limits and stricter ethics rules for justices, the latest sign of growing irritation with the court among Democrats.
Such reforms would require bipartisan cooperation, which is challenging with Republicans still controlling the House of Representatives. Harris also spoke to immigration and other issues, hailing her scathing critique of Trump at the town hall as confirmation that he indeed embodies fascistic tendencies.
