Political Foundations of Judicial Supremacy

Political Foundations of Judicial Supremacy
Author :
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Total Pages : 320
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9781400827756
ISBN-13 : 1400827752
Rating : 4/5 (752 Downloads)

Book Synopsis Political Foundations of Judicial Supremacy by : Keith E. Whittington

Download or read book Political Foundations of Judicial Supremacy written by Keith E. Whittington and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2009-03-09 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Should the Supreme Court have the last word when it comes to interpreting the Constitution? The justices on the Supreme Court certainly seem to think so--and their critics say that this position threatens democracy. But Keith Whittington argues that the Court's justices have not simply seized power and circumvented politics. The justices have had power thrust upon them--by politicians, for the benefit of politicians. In this sweeping political history of judicial supremacy in America, Whittington shows that presidents and political leaders of all stripes have worked to put the Court on a pedestal and have encouraged its justices to accept the role of ultimate interpreters of the Constitution. Whittington examines why presidents have often found judicial supremacy to be in their best interest, why they have rarely assumed responsibility for interpreting the Constitution, and why constitutional leadership has often been passed to the courts. The unprecedented assertiveness of the Rehnquist Court in striking down acts of Congress is only the most recent example of a development that began with the founding generation itself. Presidential bids for constitutional leadership have been rare, but reflect the temporary political advantage in doing so. Far more often, presidents have cooperated in increasing the Court's power and encouraging its activism. Challenging the conventional wisdom that judges have usurped democracy, Whittington shows that judicial supremacy is the product of democratic politics.


Political Foundations of Judicial Supremacy Related Books

Political Foundations of Judicial Supremacy
Language: en
Pages: 320
Authors: Keith E. Whittington
Categories: Law
Type: BOOK - Published: 2009-03-09 - Publisher: Princeton University Press

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Should the Supreme Court have the last word when it comes to interpreting the Constitution? The justices on the Supreme Court certainly seem to think so--and th
Political Foundations of Judicial Supremacy
Language: en
Pages: 332
Authors: Keith E. Whittington
Categories: Law
Type: BOOK - Published: 2007 - Publisher: Princeton University Press

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Publisher Description
The Political Constitution
Language: en
Pages: 224
Authors: Greg Weiner
Categories: Political Science
Type: BOOK - Published: 2019-08-02 - Publisher: University Press of Kansas

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Who should decide what is constitutional? The Supreme Court, of course, both liberal and conservative voices say—but in a bracing critique of the “judicial
Repugnant Laws
Language: en
Pages: 432
Authors: Keith E. Whittington
Categories: Political Science
Type: BOOK - Published: 2020-05-18 - Publisher: University Press of Kansas

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

When the Supreme Court strikes down favored legislation, politicians cry judicial activism. When the law is one politicians oppose, the court is heroically righ
Constitutional Construction
Language: en
Pages: 315
Authors: Keith E. Whittington
Categories: Law
Type: BOOK - Published: 2009-06-01 - Publisher: Harvard University Press

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book argues that the Constitution has a dual nature. The first aspect, on which legal scholars have focused, is the degree to which the Constitution acts a