Book TV: Jeff Shesol, "Supreme Power"

Jeff Shesol recalls Franklin Roosevelt's confrontation with the U.S. Supreme Court who objected to vital elements of his New Deal legislation. In 1937 the President announced a plan to expand the court to ensure that liberal justices would outnumber conservatives. Mr. Shesol reports that President Roosevelt's plan failed but helped push through New Deal legislation while it created a fissure in the Democratic party that the author maintains led to future Republican ascendance. Jeff Shesol discusses his book with Jeffrey Toobin, staff writer at The New Yorker and senior legal analyst at CNN at the New York Historical Society in New York City.

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[knightschwartz]

It was "a very activist court". Wrong. When they overturned unconstitutional laws thats not activist.

[knightschwartz]

The Constitution ceased to be respected after FDR. Brown v. Board of Education opened the floodgates. Busing, Roe v. Wade. Totally unconstitutional.

[knightschwartz]

Anyone who thinks the NRA was constitutional is insane. Shesol doesn't give a shit about the constitution. FDR threw men in jail for pressing shirts for 35 cents rather than the mandated 40 cents. He was a tryant.

[Loumademe]

To suggest that the Supreme Court has a purposeful ideological agenda is, I suppose, no revelation but certainly intriguing. Thanks for the upload.