What are the details of Joe Biden's proposal for changes in the U.S. Supreme Court?

Joe Biden, the President of the United States, who recently had to withdraw from candidacy for the presidential elections this November, has called for extensive changes in the Supreme Court of the United States six months before the end of his term. On August 8, during a speech at the 60th anniversary celebration of the Civil Rights Act, Mr. Biden expressed his displeasure, stating that the Supreme Court's decision to grant immunity from criminal prosecution to presidents places them above the law and in a position akin to kings. Joe Biden believes that 'extremism' has weakened public trust in the U.S. Supreme Court, and for this reason, he has asked Congress to impose term limits and an enforceable code of ethics for the nine justices of this court. The President of the United States also explained his proposed changes for the Supreme Court in an article published on August 8 in the Washington Post. Why has the new Supreme Court ruling pleased Trump? What is the current status of the Supreme Court? Currently, the majority in the Supreme Court is held by conservative justices; six conservative justices, all appointed by Republican presidents, face three other justices chosen by Democratic presidents. During his four-year presidency, Donald Trump was able to appoint three conservative justices to replace deceased judges in this institution, significantly tipping the balance in their favor. The nine justices of the Supreme Court will remain in their positions for life unless they voluntarily choose to retire. The conservative majority in the Supreme Court has allowed them to make a series of historic and controversial decisions, the most important being the overturning of a 1973 ruling regarding abortion in all states. The conservative justices also ruled in another controversial decision stemming from Mr. Trump's efforts to prevent his trial, stating that presidents of this country are entitled to immunity for all their 'official' actions (as opposed to personal actions). Opponents of this ruling at the time stated that this decision would place presidents above the law and exempt them from prosecution in case of wrongdoing, as any action by the president could be defined 'within the scope of his duties.' The Democratic Party argues that the current composition of justices is very conservative and is in stark contrast to the views of the American people, who have voted for the Democratic candidate in six out of seven presidential elections in the past 25 years. What are Joe Biden's proposed changes? The Democratic President of the United States is calling for the adoption of a binding code of conduct for the Supreme Court. This includes refraining from accepting any form of rewards and gifts, avoiding any public political activity, and the necessity of recusing oneself from cases in which the judge or their spouse may have economic interests, among other changes Biden is considering. Biden also emphasizes the need for term limits for justices sitting on the Supreme Court, seeking to change the lifetime tenure of their membership. However, the term Biden has proposed for justices on the Supreme Court is a lengthy 18-year period. Previously, Hank Johnson, a member of the House of Representatives and a Biden party mate, had proposed a similar change for the Supreme Court, known as the Johnson Bill. He emphasized 'fundamental and structural changes' to the court. Mr. Johnson believed that each president should only have the opportunity to appoint a new justice in the first year and then in the third year of their four-year term in the White House. Currently, three justices on the Supreme Court have served for more than 18 years. If a president can only appoint two justices during their four-year presidency, they will no longer be able to randomly appoint justices from their ideological and political camp, as happened during Trump's presidency when several elderly justices died in quick succession. Some polls indicate that most Americans support limiting the terms of Supreme Court justices. An Associated Press poll last summer indicated that 67% of American voters, including 82% of Democrats and 57% of Republicans, would support such changes. If the 18-year term limit for Supreme Court justices is approved, the first three justices to lose their seats will be from the conservative camp: Clarence Thomas, who has served for 33 years; John Roberts, with 19 years of service on the Supreme Court; and Samuel Alito, who has been a Supreme Court justice for 18 years. According to historical studies, since the establishment of the Supreme Court, the average term of service for justices has been 17 years (until death), but since the 1970s, this relative term has increased to about 28 years. What are Trump and Harris's positions on Biden's proposal? Donald Trump, the Republican candidate in the upcoming election, has reacted to Joe Biden's proposal by stating that Democrats want to 'destroy' the Supreme Court of the country. Mr. Trump emphasizes the need to 'fight to protect fair and independent courts' and accuses Democrats of attempting to interfere in the upcoming elections. Kamala Harris, a likely Democratic candidate in the November campaign, has, however, immediately supported the proposed changes to the Supreme Court, emphasizing that these changes will 'restore public trust.' Ms. Harris, who has a long history of prosecuting in various states, including California, has written that the proposed changes 'will strengthen the country's democracy and ensure that no one is above the law.' Congress must approve any changes related to the Supreme Court. Given the deep divide between Democrats and Republicans and some internal disagreements among members of both parties, achieving a majority that can implement such changes is considered very difficult. The last time Congress approved a constitutional amendment was 32 years ago.