RIP Ruth Bader Ginsburg

[Bob Juch]

Dead at 87 of pancreatic cancer.

[SportsFan68]

I'm one of those people who's been praying for Justice Ginsburg's health. I'm so sorry.

[silverscreenselect]

A great legal mind. A very sad day for the country.

Some very ugly days to come.

[jarnon]

RIP RBG. Her memory is a blessing.

[Buffacuse]

Maybe he'll be totally fair and nominate Merrick Garland.*



*Could also have been posted under "Joke of the Day"

[Bob78164]

Maybe he'll be totally fair and nominate Merrick Garland.*



*Could also have been posted under "Joke of the Day"

I have been advocating for a while now what I call the Stolen Justice Act of 2021. It would do three things. First, it would expand the size of the Court to 11 (now 13, if Moscow Mitch succeeds in confirming a new Justice against the wishes of the American people). Second, it would, by attrition, reduce the size of the Court to 9 via attrition starting on January 20, 2025. Third, it would provide that starting 90 days after a nominee is formally submitted to the Senate, any 20 Senators acting by petition could force an immediate up-or-down vote on the nominee. No more Merrick Garlands.

Another idea I've heard that I rather like also would avoid the need for a constitutional amendment. The Constitution does not require that all Justices vote on all cases. So the Stolen Justice Act could permanently increase the size of the Court to 13 but provide that only 9 Justices (the Chief Justice and 8 Associate Justices selected at random) shall hear any particular cause. --Bob

[silverscreenselect]

I have been advocating for a while now what I call the Stolen Justice Act of 2021.

This nomination will be a test of how many Republicans have any integrity. Right now, I count two: Romney and Murkowski. My hunch is that Mitch McConnell is going to wait until after the election to hold the vote to prevent Susan Collins and Lindsay Graham from being in a very awkward situation. But McConnell can't wait too long if Mark Kelly wins the Arizona Senate election as expected, since he would take office around the end of November and that would leave McConnell even less wiglle room.

There could also be some horse trading if Biden wins with Republicans voting down the nomination in exchange for Biden's agreement not to push an expansion of the court.

[silverscreenselect]

I want you to use my words against me. If there’s a Republican president in 2016 and a vacancy occurs in the last year of the first term, you can say Lindsey Graham said let’s let the next president, whoever it might be, make that nomination.

It didn't take Lindsey Graham long to weasel out of what he went on record as saying in 2016. Fortunately, Graham is in a fairly close re-election campaign and I fully expect his Democratic opponent to use his words against him in the next month.

Susan Collins has announced that the next president should fill the vacancy. She pretty much has to say that now to have any chance of being re-elected, but if her vote winds up being key, it remains to be seen if she will stick to her guns (especially if McConnell schedules the vote right after the election)..

[Bob78164]

I have been advocating for a while now what I call the Stolen Justice Act of 2021.

This nomination will be a test of how many Republicans have any integrity. Right now, I count two: Romney and Murkowski. My hunch is that Mitch McConnell is going to wait until after the election to hold the vote to prevent Susan Collins and Lindsay Graham from being in a very awkward situation. But McConnell can't wait too long if Mark Kelly wins the Arizona Senate election as expected, since he would take office around the end of November and that would leave McConnell even less wiglle room.

There could also be some horse trading if Biden wins with Republicans voting down the nomination in exchange for Biden's agreement not to push an expansion of the court.

The case challenging the Affordable Care Act is scheduled for oral argument the week after Election Day. I’m thinking McConnell really wants to hold the vote before then to maximize his chances of stripping health insurance from tens of millions of Americans in the middle of a pandemic. —Bob

[Spock]

Some very ugly days to come.

Lead in many ways by you.

[ne1410s]

I bow to no one in my disgust for our current president and his cultist followers, but why did RBG not retire years ago? At age 80 BO was president and could have filled her position. Did she think she was immortal? Did she put self before country? And where does the white go when snow melts?

[Ritterskoop]

It would have been nice for this thread to be about her life's remarkable legacy, and a separate thread to have been about the chum in the water.

[Estonut]

... it would expand the size of the Court to 11 (now 13, if Moscow Mitch succeeds in confirming a new Justice against the wishes of the American people). Second, it would, by attrition, reduce the size of the Court to 9 via attrition starting on January 20, 2025. ...

... permanently increase the size of the Court to 13 but provide that only 9 Justices (the Chief Justice and 8 Associate Justices selected at random) shall hear any particular cause.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg disagreed with you over court packing. I'd take her opinion over yours. On anything.

[silverscreenselect]

Ruth Bader Ginsburg disagreed with you over court packing.

And the Republicans didn't listen to her about how her successor should be chosen. You're real choosy about which Ginsburg opinions to listen to.

[Beebs52]

Ruth Bader Ginsburg disagreed with you over court packing.

And the Republicans didn't listen to her about how her successor should be chosen. You're real choosy about which Ginsburg opinions to listen to.

Ah. So you finally admit you toe the left line completely with no exception.

[Bob78164]

Ruth Bader Ginsburg disagreed with you over court packing.

And the Republicans didn't listen to her about how her successor should be chosen. You're real choosy about which Ginsburg opinions to listen to.

Ah. So you finally admit you toe the left line completely with no exception.

Republicans are using raw political power to make an appointment now when a majority of the American people want them to wait. They're using raw political power to make an appointment when under more compelling circumstances they wouldn't even afford a hearing to a Democratic nominee. So if Democrats do take control after the November elections, I will have no sympathy at all for Republican complaints when Democrats respond in kind. As you once put it, "Too bad, so sad."

The Democratic response shouldn't just be limited to increasing the Court's size. Everything will be on the table, starting with eliminating the filibuster. --Bob