The long-simmering debate over the size of the U.S. Supreme Court has reached a fever pitch, with prominent Democratic voices now openly demanding an expansion of the bench from nine to thirteen justices. According to a recent column in American Thinker, the push has become more urgent and more explicit, with figures ranging from academic Michael Mann to strategist James Carville urging Democrats to embrace court packing as a party priority.
Michael Mann, a University of Pennsylvania professor best known for his controversial “hockey stick” climate graph, has proposed a litmus test for Democratic Senate candidates. “When it comes to Senate races, there should be a litmus test,” Mann said, according to the American Thinker report. “It isn’t just good enough to be a Democrat. You’ve got to be a Democrat who would be willing to expand the Supreme Court.” Mann added that there is “no way not to be partisan” or “political” on this issue, framing court expansion as essential to broader progressive goals like environmental action.
Mann’s stance is echoed by others in the party. James Carville, the veteran Democratic strategist, has gone further, urging Democrats to act swiftly and unilaterally if they regain power. “If the Democrats win the presidency and both houses of Congress, I think on day one, they should expand the Supreme Court to 13. F—k it. Eat our dust. Don’t run on it. Don’t talk about it. Just do it,” Carville told Democratic candidates, as reported by American Thinker. Carville’s advice reflects a strategy of avoiding public debate on an issue that polls show remains unpopular with the broader electorate.
The calls are not limited to academics and strategists. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, along with Representatives Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley, have all insisted on court expansion. Most recently, Rep. James Clyburn made the case for adding four justices, bringing the total to thirteen. Clyburn justified his position by criticizing Justice Clarence Thomas, whom he called “a very angry rightist” and accused of abandoning the Constitution’s “modern underpinnings.”
For conservative critics, these demands represent a direct assault on the Constitution’s separation of powers. The American Thinker column argues that court packing would allow the executive and legislative branches to neutralize the judiciary as a check on their authority. “The Left has no interest in honoring the Constitution and the separation of powers,” the column asserts, noting that the design of three co-equal branches is specifically intended to prevent any one from exceeding its constitutional limits.
The column also takes issue with Clyburn’s characterization of Thomas, arguing that the justice has simply refused to conform to progressive expectations. “Justice Thomas has betrayed the ‘black Leftist team’: he refuses to go along with the rewriting of the Constitution,” the author writes, adding that Thomas’s responses to decisions have been “measured and direct.” The column references Thomas’s famous declaration at his confirmation hearings that he was subjected to a “high-tech lynching,” suggesting that Clyburn’s remarks echo the hostility Thomas faced decades ago.
The recent intensity of these demands is notable, according to American Thinker, which suggests that some on the left are contemplating even more radical changes to the political system, including abolishing the Senate or eliminating the presidency. The column warns that requiring Democratic candidates to take an oath to expand the Court, legislating from the bench, and defaming sitting justices are all part of a broader effort to consolidate power.
The Supreme Court has consisted of nine justices since 1869, and any change in its size would require congressional approval, making it a contentious and politically charged endeavor. Public opinion has consistently opposed court packing, which may explain Carville’s insistence on “just doing it” without a public campaign. Yet the persistence of these calls suggests that the debate is far from over.
For conservative commentators, the urgency of the moment is clear. The American Thinker column concludes with a paraphrase of Benjamin Franklin: “We are governed by a Constitution—if we can keep it.” The implication is that the continued pressure to expand the Court poses an existential threat to the constitutional order. Whether these calls will translate into action remains to be seen, but the rhetoric has certainly grown louder.
As the 2026 midterm elections approach, the future of the Supreme Court may become a defining issue in Democratic primaries and general election campaigns. Mann’s litmus test proposal suggests that candidates will increasingly be judged on their willingness to support structural changes to the judiciary. If Democrats were to win unified control of the government, Carville and others have made clear that court expansion would be a first priority.
Opponents argue that such a move would undermine the Court’s legitimacy and set a dangerous precedent, allowing partisan majorities to restructure the judiciary whenever they control the levers of power. Supporters counter that the Court has become too politicized and that expansion is necessary to restore balance. Either way, the American public is likely to hear much more about this issue in the coming months.
The debate over court packing is not new, but the boldness of the recent proposals marks a shift in tone. No longer confined to the fringes, the idea of expanding the Supreme Court has moved squarely into mainstream Democratic discourse. Whether it will become law, however, faces steep obstacles, including the need for legislation and the potential for filibuster challenges in the Senate.
For now, the conversation continues, and those who cherish the Constitution as written are watching closely. As the American Thinker column highlights, the separation of powers is a cornerstone of American governance, and any attempt to alter the judiciary by political means raises fundamental questions about the future of the republic.
Source: www.americanthinker.com — https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/09/the-left-insists-on-packing-the-supreme-court/