An essential history of how both parties fought for control of the Supreme Court—and how Republicans exploited that advantage.
In his book “Supreme Control,” Lucas A. A leading scholar of the Supreme Court, Paugh Jr. examines how the United States got to the Republican-dominated Roberts Court, which is fundamentally transforming constitutional law and reshaping the daily lives of Americans. What was previously considered unthinkable - a court willing to overturn long-established case lawIn order to serve one political vision - it has become a tangible reality.
Bowie argues that the current court fulfills a decades-long Republican project: creating a reliably conservative Supreme Court. Built through a tightly coordinated strategy culminating in the judicial appointments made during Donald Trump's presidency, the Roberts Court represents an unprecedented concentration of power within a single political coalition.By placing these developments in their historical context, Bowie shows how the current Court is only the latest in a long battle for partisan dominance of American law.
Baugh shows that the struggle for control of the Supreme Court is as old as the republic itself. From Washington, Adams, and Jefferson to Lincoln, Grant, and Roosevelt, presidents sought a court that would guarantee their constitutional interests. After a series of controversial liberal rulings in the 1960s and 1970s by the Warren Court,Conservatives have a long-term and sustained campaign to reverse this legacy.
That campaign progressed erratically for decades until it finally succeeded in the 21st century with Donald Trump's first term.
Today, the consequences are clear and unambiguous. The Court's recent decisions on abortion, gun rights, religion, affirmative action, and executive power have thrust the Court into the heart of American political life, with wide-ranging implications for democracy, governance, and individual rights.As Americans continue to grapple with the Court's enormous power, Supreme Control offers the clearest explanation yet of how we arrived at this crucial moment in history and what it means for the nation's future.
