The United States Supreme Court isn't merely one of America's most important institutions, it is also one of the most important elements of our constitutional system of checks and balances, not to mention the gold standard of judicial independence and integrity on the planet. Despite its judicial and governmental prowess, Democrats—more aptly radical Marxists—have made clear their intention to politicize and co-opt the Supreme Court for their own selfish political gain through a strategy known as "court packing."
Democrats' current attempts to abuse the Court are by no means the first of their kind. In fact, Democrat President Franklin Delano Roosevelt raised the specter of increasing the number of Supreme Court Justices nearly 100 years ago in an attempt to appoint a majority of justices who would approve his unconstitutional New Deal programs. Yet even his own Democratic Party, which controlled both chambers of Congress, rejected the idea. The Senate Judiciary Committee, at the time, called it “a measure which should be so emphatically rejected that its parallel will never again be presented to the free representatives of the free people of America.”
Given the unadulterated insanity of 2020, it should come as no surprise that Democrats once again began advocating for packing the Supreme Court.
During the Democratic Presidential primaries the Washington Post listed Kamala Harris as “open to it” on the issue of court packing. Later, during the Vice Presidential debate in October, Harris refused to answer the question. Joe Biden, who's advisers have openly advocated for packing the court, now claims the position that he will appoint a commission to study the idea and other court reforms for 180 days, should he be sworn in as President.
Over the last 12 months, Americans have witnessed unfathomable events. From a sham impeachment trial based on fabricated Clinton campaign opposition research and the incessant leaked ramblings of congressman Adam Schiff, to media and big tech censorship that would make even communist China pleased, to power drunk mayors and governors across the country implementing lockdown orders that have consistently exceeded constitutional boundaries; the unthinkable has become a reality. Now, more than ever, we must maintain a free and impartial judicial branch. The stakes are simply too high to fail.
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Elected officials swear an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. For some of us, these are more than just empty words recited ceremonially. In fact, some of us—sadly fewer than anyone would like to admit—actually take this oath seriously, which is why as a newly elected member of the Arizona House of Representatives, my first act was to file House Concurrent Resolution 2002 (HCR2002) declaring the need to protect the integrity and independence of the United States Supreme Court through a constitutional amendment that would permanently set the number of justices at nine.
HCR2002 is already co-sponsored by forty of my fellow state legislators, including the House Speaker and Senate President, along with nearly every other member of majority leadership in Arizona. I’m proud to be joined by so many patriots in demanding that the Supreme Court be protected, but make no mistake Arizona is only the first. I'm aware of more than a dozen states currently working on the introduction of a similar resolution and am hopeful that Arizona's can become a model resolution introduced and passed by nearly every state legislature in the country.
To the Democrat critics, let me assure you, this issue is here to stay. Our entire system of government is based upon functioning checks and balances, and for the last 150 years we have had nine U.S. Supreme Court Justices. If at every change of the Presidency and accompanying Congress we added Supreme Court Justices to match the political whims of the day, it would create a debilitating destabilization of our government.
Our nation is in dire need of a return to constitutional certainty and judicial impartiality at the Supreme Court. Simply put, as the nation and our politics becomes more unstable, we need to redouble our resolve to protect the stability and continuity of our highest court.
As if protecting the independence of the court wasn’t reason enough, the disastrous outcome of the Georgia runoff elections for United States Senate should be more than enough to harden the resolve of legislative leaders across America. There has rarely been a more important moment in history for the sovereign states to reclaim their power under our Constitution and boldly make known their desires for the direction of our country.
Arizona's HCR2002, along with the dozens like it that will follow, and the constitutional amendment it calls for will play a significant role in ensuring that the United States Supreme Court continues its legacy as the most revered judicial institution on planet Earth for centuries to come.
Jake Hoffman is a member-elect of the Arizona House of Representatives representing Arizona's twelfth legislative district, the President and CEO of Rally Forge, one of the nation’s top conservative communications and media strategy firms, and has been published in outlets such as Townhall, Daily Caller and American Thinker. Follow him on Parler at @JakeHoffman.
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