I'm Brian Lerer. This is my daily politics podcast from WNYC Studios. It's Monday, April 12th.

Let's begin today on the Supreme Court. You know that place where there are exactly nine justices and their terms last

their whole lives? Well, on Friday, in case you missed it, President Biden announced that he's

appointing a commission to study whether those things should change. Now, many of you know that

Democrats were outraged that Mitch McConnell, when he controlled the Senate, refused to hold a confirmation process

for Merrick Garland when President Obama nominated Garland when Justice Scalia died in 2016,

with Obama having almost a year left in office, right?

That allowed President Trump after his election to name Scalia's replacement.

But then McConnell did hold a confirmation process for Amy Kavanaugh. and Trump after his election to name Scalia's replacement.

But then McConnell did hold a confirmation process for Amy Coney-Barritt when Ruth Bader Ginsburg died with just weeks to go before last year's election.

So Democrats feel like at least one Supreme Court seat and possibly two were stolen by McConnell's hypocritical

double standard with huge implications for everything, for justice in America in so many ways.

Hence, pressure to add justices, limit terms, or otherwise correct the unfairness.

But of course, it's hugely controversial. Even Justice Breyer,

one of the, quote, liberal votes on the court, on most things, has cautioned against things like

this recently. And that's not even the main reason that there is also a movement right now with

the slogan, Breyer, retire.

So what is right?

What is fair?

What are the political ramifications?

And what do justice and injustice really look like here?

We'll talk about that and more now with this week's Monday morning politics guest, Dr. Jason Johnson,

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