There’s a New Lewis Powell Memo, and It’s Wildly Racist (slate.com)
🧠 Overview & Context
In this August 2024 article for Slate, legal analyst David Daley argues that Chief Justice John Roberts’ Supreme Court reflects and fulfills the ideological vision outlined in the 1971 Lewis Powell Memorandum, which advocated for a sustained, corporate-backed conservative campaign to reshape American law and culture.
📜 Key Arguments
- The Powell Memo, written by future Justice Lewis Powell, called for conservative control over academia, media, and the judiciary.
- Stern asserts that the Roberts Court—through its decisions on affirmative action, voting rights, and campaign finance—has implemented this vision.
- He links the Court’s narrowing of civil rights protections and dismantling of race-conscious remedies directly to Powell’s judicial philosophy.
👨⚖️ John Roberts & Powell’s Legacy
- Though Powell’s memo wasn’t explicitly racist, Stern argues that its implications—particularly in curbing efforts to address systemic racism—are being realized in today’s court.
- Roberts, while outwardly moderate in tone, has presided over radically conservative legal shifts, especially regarding racial justice.
🔍 Why It Matters
- The article positions the current conservative supermajority as the product of decades of strategic investment in shaping the federal judiciary—precisely what Powell recommended.
- It raises concerns about how legal decisions today echo a blueprint designed to protect the power of economic and racial elites.
“Powell’s memo did not merely map out a plan to protect capitalism—it laid the groundwork for today’s reactionary Supreme Court.” — Mark Joseph Stern
📎 Citation
Stern, M. J. (2024, August). John Roberts’ Supreme Court Is a Fulfillment of a Racist Memo. Slate. Retrieved from https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/08/john-roberts-supreme-court-racist-lewis-powell-memo.html
Summary generated by ChatGPT (GPT‑4).