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Supreme Power: Franklin Roosevelt vs. the Supreme Court
"A stunning work of history."—Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of No Ordinary Time and Team of Rivals Beginning in 1935, the Supreme Court's conservative majority left much of FDR's agenda in ruins. The pillars of the New Deal fell in short succession. It was not just the New Deal but democracy itself that stood on trial. In February 1937, Roosevelt struck back with an audacious plan to expand the Court to fifteen justices—and to "pack" the new seats with liberals who shared his belief in a "living" Constitution.
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Supreme Power: Franklin Roosevelt vs. the Supreme Court
"A stunning work of history."—Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of No Ordinary Time and Team of Rivals Beginning in 1935, the Supreme Court's conservative majority left much of FDR's agenda in ruins. The pillars of the New Deal fell in short succession. It was not just the New Deal but democracy itself that stood on trial. In February 1937, Roosevelt struck back with an audacious plan to expand the Court to fifteen justices—and to "pack" the new seats with liberals who shared his belief in a "living" Constitution.
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Supreme Power: Franklin Roosevelt vs. the Supreme Court
"A stunning work of history."—Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of No Ordinary Time and Team of Rivals Beginning in 1935, the Supreme Court's conservative majority left much of FDR's agenda in ruins. The pillars of the New Deal fell in short succession. It was not just the New Deal but democracy itself that stood on trial. In February 1937, Roosevelt struck back with an audacious plan to expand the Court to fifteen justices—and to "pack" the new seats with liberals who shared his belief in a "living" Constitution.
Jeff Shesol is the author of Supreme Power and Mutual Contempt, both selected as New York Times Notable Books of the Year. He is a former speechwriter for President Bill Clinton and is a founding partner of West Wing Writers.
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
1 Complete Control 8
2 Storm Center 24
3 Shortcuts 42
4 The Dying of the Light 60
5 Heavy Bombardment 74
6 The Golden Ruling 87
7 The Last Thin Line 107
8 Black Monday 127
9 Opening Gun 147
10 Vigilantes 158
11 Slow Poison 173
12 A Project of Great Importance 199
13 No-Man's-Land 218
14 Plans and Purposes 239
15 Warning Bell 259
16 Preserve, Protect, Defend 276
17 The Beginning of the End of Everything 291
18 The First Wedge 307
19 Punch Drunk 336
20 The Real Mischief 350
21 This New Roar 371
22 The Yielding 392
23 Blood or Ink 416
24 The Switch in Time 429
25 Consent 444
26 Striking a Blow for Liberty 461
27 To Fight Against God 479
Epilogue We Have Only Just Begun to Fight 501
Acknowledgments 531
Notes 535
Bibliography 603
Index 617
What People are Saying About This
Bill Clinton
Supreme Power is an extraordinary book that rings with relevance for our time. One of the most eloquent historians of his generation, Jeff Shesol has a deep understanding of the presidency, and the interplay of politics, personalities, and principles, all of which he brings to life in this rich, remarkable book. Full of surprises and new insights—each rendered in clear and confident prose – this book is about more than FDR’s plan to pack the Court. It’s about America’s enduring struggle to reconcile our founders’ ideals with conflicting challenges in our constant pursuit to build a more perfect union.
From the Publisher
"Shesol is a terrific storyteller, and he brings the book's events to life by taking the [listener] inside the key places where the constitutional conflict took shape." —-The Boston Globe
