New Book on Supreme Court by Historian James MacGregor Burns

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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. - James MacGregor Burns, the Woodrow Wilson Professor of Government Emeritus at Williams College, is the author of a new book titled "Packing the Court: The Rise of Judicial Power and the Coming Crisis of the Supreme Court" (Penguin).

Burns, a distinguished scholar of presidential leadership and Pulitzer Prize winner, presents an illuminating critique of how an unaccountable and frequently partisan Supreme Court has come to wield more power than the founding fathers ever intended -- and may be headed for a historic confrontation over judicial power.

Much as we would like to believe that the Court remains aloof from ideological politics, Packing the Court reveals how often justices behave like politicians in robes.

As Burns reminds us, the Constitution does not grant the Supreme Court the power of judicial review -- that is, the ability to strike down laws passed by Congress and signed by the president. Yet throughout its history, as Packing the Court demonstrates, the Supreme Court has used this power to derail progressive reform.

The term "packing the court" is usually applied to FDR's failed attempt to expand the size of the Court after a conservative bench repeatedly overturned key New Deal legislation.


But Burns shows that presidents from Jefferson to Jackson, Lincoln to FDR, have clashed with powerful justices who refused to recognize the claims of popularly elected majorities.

The book, called by Publishers Weekly "fresh and compelling," reveals how these battles have threatened the nation's welfare in the most crucial moments of our history, from the Civil War to the Great Depression -- and may do so again.

More than eight years after Bush v. Gore, ideological justices have the tightest grip on the Court in recent memory.

Drawing on over two centuries of American history, Packing the Court offers a clear-eyed and provocative critique of judicial supremacy and concludes with a bold proposal to strip the Court of its power to frustrate democratic leadership.
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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
 
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
 
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
 
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
 
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths. 
 
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
 
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
 
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