Analyzing America’s final arbiter

 
Jonathan Hack ’09, director of content and strategy for the Justice, Health, and Democracy Impact Initiative at Harvard University, sees a juxtaposition when comparing the current Supreme Court to the Supreme Court of Earl Warren, who served as chief justice from 1953 to 1969. In the ’50s and ’60s, the court expanded rights in America, including through the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision. Last year, the nation saw the court rescind the right to abortion in its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

Hack joined Challenge. Change. last year to examine judicial decision making in the Dobbs case. On this episode, Hack briefs listeners on cases before the court this session, including challenges to President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan.

“The question is, what is the role of the Supreme Court, and should the court be making the decisions that it’s making,” says Hack. “We have defaulted as a society over the course of our years under the U.S. Constitution to viewing the court as that final arbiter as the traditional forms of law-making have made it harder and harder to see bills become law.”

Challenge. Change. is produced by Andrew Hart and Melissa Hanson for Clark University. Listen and subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Find other episodes wherever you listen to podcasts.