most of the new deal was developed in these small experiments in states around the country that justice brandeis called in the laboratories of democracy but. in fact state by state we're doing labor law they're doing pension law they're doing safety law that built up those principles small scale when the moment came they were just the same principles that became large scale at the national level and i think that's the kind of way to think about these co-ops and work your own companies there are two thousand municipal utilities another way to change and democratize twenty five percent of american electricity today twenty five percent is either it's socialized if you like municipal utilities or co-ops so there are there are things on the ground that when you actually dig in that's what america beyond capitalism an attempt to do just report on this and then say what does that look like it doesn't look like corporate capitalism if you extend the principles and it doesn't look like state socialism it's a new it's an american model something different under the sun which i think is slowly emerging and

now here i am quoting justice brandeis. s exact words were as follows the reason the public thinks so much of the justices of the supreme court is they are almost always the only people in washington who do their own work. [laughter] now i'm not going to address the first part of justice brandeis statement about what people think about the supreme court but the latter is definitely true. we still do not own work and when i say that, i don't mean to cast any aspersions on the president or congress. their responsibilities are now so fast that an enormous amount of the obligation is unavoidable. can you imagine how does president could possibly do his job if flexible he wrote his own speeches or did many of the other things that are done in his name? sali not criticizing the other branches, but we have had the luxury of retaining an old-fashioned personal role. we have very small staffs. some people are quite astonished that we don't have a larger support staff. we each have free career small lawyers who provide office support

the oldest justice, justice brandeis of kentucky. wilson dared not appoint him attorney general, but did appoint him to the court. justice owen roberts. at 61, the youngest justice. long a conservative. since this fight began, liberal in seven decisions. and charles evans hughes, 75. chief justice since 1930. sometimes conservative, sometimes liberal. >> president roosevelt goes on the air in an appeal for popular support for his plan to reorganize the federal judiciary. newsreel cameras filmed his fireside chat, his second such appeal within six days. he tells the people that his plan would protect them. >> those opposing the plan have sought to sow prejudice and fear by saying i am seeking to pack the supreme court, and that a baneful precedent will be established. what did they mean by "packing the supreme court"? let me answer this question with a bluntness that will end all honest misunderstanding of my purpose. if by that phrase is charged i wish to place on the bench spineless puppets to disregard the law and decide specific ca

. >> gregg: bob, the great supreme court justice brandeis said, and he coined the famous phrase sunlight and transparency are important in any democracy. if americans are able see with their own eyes, the process of justice unfold they will have confidence in the decision-making, you agree? >> i do. but here's my concern. i am concerned that we mix-up the separation of powers. i don't feel comfortable with it coming from congress, gregg. i think the supreme court of this country must remain autonomous. it should come from them. they could give them some type of resolution and how it is viewed upon in congress. i don't like the fact that it would be imposed on our supreme court. if it comes from them, i'm more comfortable. but i don't believe that it any way -- [ talking over each other ] >> i think bob those are excellent points. they have complete autonomy. these are life terms. no one can kick these justices . there have been justices served in their late 80s, early 90s. certainly they have the autonomy, they have the life term. >> agreed. [ talking over each other ] >> gregg: guys we

others of the justices, like brandeis, were quite far to the left. others were swing votes. they might strike down various new deal legislations. then there was a fairly radical switch where the new deal programs began to be upheld. >> we will talk a little bit more about charles evans hughes the man. he was described as looking and sounding like god. would you add more color around this? >> he was 5'11". interestingly enough, he was very slight as a young man, very thin. he weighed 127 pounds. they would not write an insurance policy for him. they would give him the physical and say, we cannot find anything wrong with him, but he is just too thin. so they would not give him a life-insurance policy. he lived to be about 85. so he was very vigorous, very active. he reaches an adult weight of about 173 pounds. it was measured very carefully. at breakfast he would have a pile of toast in front of him. if he was putting too much weight, he would remove a slice of toast. if he did not weigh enough, he would put another slice on. but this fellow was so slight and not vigorous, but

the same values that bring you here today led justice brandeis to fight for an america that protects the least of these. [applause] those same values led jewish leaders to found rac 50 years ago. [applause] they led abraham joshua heschel to pray with his feet and march with dr. [applause] -- with dr. king. and over the last three years, they have brought us together on the most important issues of our time. when we began this journey, we knew we would have to take on powerful special interests. we would have to take on a washington culture where doing what's politically convenient is often valued above doing what's right; where the focus is too often on the next election instead of the next generation. [applause] and so time and time again, we've been reminded that change is never easy. and a number of the rabbis who are here today, when i see them, they'd been saying a prayer. they noticed my hair is grayer. [laughter] but we didn't quit. you didn't quit. and today, we're beginning to see what change looks like. and eric mentioned what change looks like. change is the very first bi

the same values that bring you here today led justice brandeis to fight for an america that protects the least of these. those same values led jewish leaders to found rac 50 years ago. they led abraham joshua heschel to pray with his feet and march with dr. king. [applause] and over the last three years, they have brought us together on the most important issues of our time. when we began this journey, we knew we would have to take on powerful special interests. we would have to take on a washington culture where doing what's politically convenient is often valued above doing what's right, where the focus is too often on the next election instead of the next generation. [applause] and so time and time again, we've been reminded that change is never easy. and a number of the rabbis who are here today, when i see them, they'd been saying a prayer. they noticed my hair is grayer. [laughter] but we didn't quit. you didn't quit. and today, we're beginning to see what change looks like. and eric mentioned what change looks like. change is the very first bill i signed, the lilly ledbetter f

. >> justice brandeis once said he could do a 12 months worth of work at the court in 10 months. but he couldn't do it in 12 months. it is good that we get something of a break from each other. we have work that we continue to do. we continue to pour through 9000 petitions that come in. you can't put those off to the fall. yet to keep up with us. we get emergency matters from time to time but we do get out of washington. the work lord is significantly reduced. we get to spend a little more time with the family than was the case, that is always the case during the -- c-span: you said about bill rehnquist to call them bill and he didn't. >> guest: we call them cheap. c-span: what is the relationship. you are considerably older than john roberts. what happens when a young man comes into the court? >> guest: i call them cheap. ike feel more comfortable calling him chief. it wouldn't bother him the slightest if i called him john because we are good friends, but that is one of those traditions and part of the court that sticks with me. c-span: what has been his impact on the court? how

the same values that bring you here today led justice brandeis to fight for an america that protects the least of these. [applause] those same values led jewish leaders to found rac 50 years ago. [applause] they led abraham joshua heschel to pray with his feet and march with dr. king. [applause] and over the last three years, they have brought us together on the most important issues of our time. when we began this journey, we knew we would have to take on powerful special interests. we would have to take on a washington culture where doing what's politically convenient is often valued above doing what's right; where the focus is too often on the next election instead of the next generation. [applause] and so time and time again, we've been reminded that change is never easy. and a number of the rabbis who are here today, when i see them, they'd been saying a prayer. they noticed my hair is grayer. [laughter] but we didn't quit. you didn't quit. and today, we're beginning to see what change looks like. and eric mentioned what change looks like. change is the very first bill i signed,

would consider the collegial dynamics that justice kennedy refers to, and i believe it is vastly outweighed either i the public interested in transparencies. brandeisl committee has reported a bill out. one of the real sad part about leaving the senate was not being able to carry the flag forward but now the senator durbin has joined the panel, if i may have his attention, he promised to carry on the battle in my absence. i am precluded under the ethics rules from asking senator durbin what he has done, except when i testified before the committee. [laughter] >> and before the camera and holding to the promise he gave you, is that right? >> you bet. madam chairman i would just add that i have a commitment to make it 12:00 appointment so i have to excuse myself before it's all over. >> very good. we'll make sure that senator durbin has that opportunity so you can ask him questions senator specter but we are going over to senator lee first. >> thank you at them chair. i really appreciate you accommodating my time constraints and i want to thanked chipra panels for being here today. i combat this issue with a certain internal conflict that i'm hoping