The most dangerous branch : inside the Supreme Court's assault on the Constitution / David A. Kaplan.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kaplan, David A., 1956- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States. Supreme Court.

United States.

Political questions and judicial power--United States.

Political questions and judicial power.

Constitutional law--United States.

Constitutional law.

Employees.

Judges.

Judicial corruption.

Genre:

Nonfiction.

Physical Description:

xiv, 446 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, most of which are in colour ; 24 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Crown, 2018.

Summary:

"In a richly reported, behind-the-scenes portrait of the Supreme Court and the secret world of its nine justices, veteran national journalist David A. Kaplan shows how the Court, far from being the "least dangerous branch" of government, in the words of Alexander Hamilton, has become in many respects the most dangerous branch, subverting democracy and betraying the Constitution. Never before has the Supreme Court been more central to American politics. A sizable percentage of voters in the most recent presidential election chose a candidate based largely on who they thought Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump would nominate to replace the fiery Antonin Scalia. In the face of a dysfunctional and paralyzed Congress, it is the Court, rather than our elected officials, that decides such divisive issues as gerrymandering, abortion, gun rights, voting rights, same sex marriage, immigration, and campaign finance. In a sweeping narrative that examines the personalities and quirks of the Justices, The Most Dangerous Branch shows how, going as far back as Roe v Wade, the Court has re-shaped America's political and social landscape in key cases on the left and the right. As much as the Chief Justice claims to be only calling balls and strikes, in fact the Court has not hesitated to put its collective thumb on the scale of justice to swing the law in the majority's direction. As a result, nine nonelected life-tenured lawyers, trained at but two elite universities (Harvard and Yale) have taken it upon themselves to decide the fate and direction of the nation. Kaplan's book gets at the heart of who these Justices are, and uncovers their personal agendas -- including that of Neil Gorsuch, President Trump's impatient and quietly radical new appointee. And with the retirement of even a single justice, the Court could, under Trump and a filibuster-proof Senate, be transformed into a insurmountable conservative voting block that will reign even more supreme over America for a generation"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Introduction: the end of the world as they knew it

Prologue: death at the ranch

The marble temple

No. 9

Confirmation world

Deploying the warhead

The institutionalist and the notorious

The left flank

The right flank

Deus ex machina

Sleeping giant

The runaway court

Revenge of the right

James Madison made us do it

For the love of money

A disdain for democracy

Roe by any other name?

Epilogue: a less dangerous branch.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 375-417) and index.

ISBN:

9781524759902

1524759902

OCLC:

1019615283