By Mark Rhoads -
One way or another, Judge Neil Gorsuch will replace the late respected Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court. That does not change the ideological balance of power as it stood on the week before Justice Scalia died last year.
But one more reform is needed to reduce the stakes on future nominees for the Court. I realize that the Founders wanted to insulate judges and justices from transient political passions. But while a lifetime term of office might have made sense in 1789, such an excessive term of office does not make sense today because it invites abuse of power.
The time has come to set term limits on Supreme Court justices to something like 18 years which would be consistent with three Senate terms and consistent with the maximum high court terms in other free nations.
