Question

Why was the so-called Court-packing plan significant? Group of answer choices It ended the Roosevelt presidency and nearly toppled the Supreme Court. It was among Roosevelt’s most humiliating moments and fractured the Democratic party. It led to war in Europe and North America. It bolstered Roosevelt’s reputation and prestige among the American people. It showed that Roosevelt aspired to communist ideology.

Answer 1

The Court-packing plan was significant because it represented President Roosevelt's attempt to influence U.S. Supreme Court decisions by proposing additional justices. It led to significant political opposition and ultimately failed, affecting Roosevelt's legacy and demonstrating the checks and balances in the U.S. government.

Step-by-step explanation:

Significance of Roosevelt's Court-Packing Plan

The so-called Court-packing plan, officially known as the Judicial Procedures Reform Bill of 1937, was significant as it highlighted President Franklin D. Roosevelt's attempt to alter the balance of power within the United States government. In the wake of the 1936 election—a landslide victory for Roosevelt—he introduced this controversial plan with the intent to appoint additional justices to the U.S. Supreme Court. This move was spurred by the Court's opposition to some of his New Deal policies, which the Court had deemed unconstitutional. The plan proposed adding one new justice for each sitting justice over the age of 70 who did not retire, potentially expanding the Supreme Court from nine to as many as fifteen members.

Roosevelt's proposal faced steep opposition from Congress, the public, and even members of his own Democratic Party. The plan was perceived by many as an attempt by the President to gain control over the judiciary and thereby secure favorable rulings for his policies. Although the plan failed to gain traction, it had several lasting effects: it damaged Roosevelt's reputation by suggesting a desire for increased executive power, it led to political fallout within the Democratic Party, and it arguably influenced subsequent Supreme Court decisions in a manner more favorable to New Deal legislation.

In the end, although the court-packing scheme did not come to fruition, it still significantly shaped the legacy of Roosevelt's presidency and the operation of the judiciary. The term 'court-packing' has since been used to refer to attempts by a political leader to influence the judiciary by expanding the number of judges, and it stands as a salient example of the checks and balances inherent in the U.S. political system.