A review by mezzarella
The Supermajority by Michael Waldman

challenging informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Never before have I read a text so accessible and comprehensive that warns of the dangers and historical precedent of the Judicial Branch. Michael Waksman remarks that the book was written to explain to the public how modern day Supreme Court decisions have been set by historical and political precedent, which he does with excellence. The Supermajority is written with incredible care, historical context, and a great deal of historical cases which highlight the gaps between the Supreme Court, historical intent, and the public. Critical of both described “conservative” and “liberal” court justices, Waksman warns of a liberal fondness of those such as RBG, later discussing her more moderate views and reservations on landmark cases such as Roe v. Wade. If Waksman’s true intent is to wear down respect of the current court system, he does so effectively. Many times I was left baffled and disappointed at how partisan the system had been from the very beginning, the past presidents who opposed its design, as well as how current misunderstandings of historical context and wording had been warped to create a conservative stronghold. While I admittedly did not think highly of the Supreme Court system at the start of the book, I was left humbled and dismayed at how impossible progressive change feels at the Supreme Court. The conservative slant will not only last for my lifetime; it has dominated for the past century. 
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