(Washington Insider Magazine) – Could the Senate majority held by the Democrats change the tide of our nation’s history?
Although Republicans have taken control of Congress after the midterm elections, Democrats have secured their position with a Senate majority. The democratic-controlled Senate will use its sway of power to confirm over 100 federal judge nominees, positioned by President Joe Biden. Democrats are expected to confirm several more federal judges within the remaining two years of President Biden’s presidential term of office.
How Did The Senate Majority Happen And Why Does It Matter?
In 2021, President Joe Biden moved quickly to confirm many liberal judges to federal courts. The United States had not seen as many appointments set by a President since former President Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan appointed 383 federal judges, giving him a lead over any other president. President Biden’s predecessor, former President Donald Trump holds the record for the most federal appeal court judges appointed during his four-year term of presidency. Former President Trump set 231 appointments, 54 courts of appeals (circuit) judges, and 177 district judges. It is believed President Biden and the democratic-controlled Senate are pushing back on Trump’s record-breaking pace of appointments.
The Senate is the power hand of the President of the United States. The Senate has the sole power to confirm the President’s appointments while also providing advice to the President, and consent to ratify treaties. Selecting a democratic-controlled Senate, that will confirm same-party federal judge nominees is essential to secure the political position of the President. Once a federal judge is appointed, they can only be removed from office by death, retirement, impeachment by the House of Representatives, or conviction by the Senate. A federal judge serves for a lifetime, given the power to rule on topics that can easily shape public policies. Areas of jurisdiction consist of interpreting laws and applying them to individual cases such as gun control, abortion, and environmental policies.
President Joe Biden has been uniquely prominent in his choice of nominees to the United States courts. The nominees are significant for their race, gender, and the U.S. goal to create a diverse workforce. More than half of President Biden’s nominees have been women and almost half have been people of color. The diverse slate of nominees will help change the face of the nation’s court system.