The Supreme Court's Power Play: What It Means for the President

The Supreme Court's conservative majority is pushing to give the president more control. They might overturn a 90-year-old decision that limits the president's power to fire certain officials. This isn't new. The court has already allowed President Trump to fire many officials, even though a 1935 decision said he couldn't. The only officials he hasn't been able to fire are Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve governor, and Shira Perlmutter, a copyright official. The court's conservative justices seem eager to take this further. They argue that the president should have complete control over the executive branch. This idea is called the unitary executive theory. But not everyone agrees. Some legal experts say the court is misinterpreting history. They argue that the Constitution doesn't give the president unlimited power. The case before the court involves the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In 1935, the court decided that the president couldn't fire FTC leaders without cause. Now, the court might overturn that decision. If they do, it could have big consequences. It might affect Lisa Cook's job at the Federal Reserve. The court is also considering whether judges can reinstate fired officials. The Justice Department argues that the president should have the power to fire officials for any reason. They say the 1935 decision was wrong. But the historians say otherwise. They argue that limits on the president's power are consistent with the Constitution and U. S. history. The court will hear arguments in January about whether Lisa Cook can keep her job. This is a big deal. It could change the balance of power between the president and Congress.