FUCK FUCK FUCKITY FUCK. GINSBERG HAS DIED.

Ohhhhhhhh, shit. We are screwed.

I liked her, RIP.

Stop with the defeatist attitude.

We’re not limited to the current number of justices.

If he or the Turtle even thinks to form their mouths, their lips, to say anything other than "thoughts and prayers to to the great judge RBG's family," they should be ______.

Her slot will be filled with a psycho like Brett, R3

R3 Grow up and look around you.

!!!!

Our only hope is that the fight for a new justice will last past the inauguration and that Biden wins.

Good. This should light a fire for apathetic liberals and Dems.

She should have retired when Obama was president.

Awful news! That asshole Trump gets so many fucking breaks. 3 fucking SC justices on top of all the federal ones. Cheeto, Dan McGahn and that evil Bitch McConnell are popping bottles right now. Urghh. Goodbye abortion rights, gay rights, voting rights, whatever's left of affirmative action, clean air, water, healthcare, personal freedom. Fuck these people. Dems have got to win the White House and Senate otherwise we are so fucked for real.

I wish she could have held out to January but bless her for holding on and for her service.

I gasped. Not a Princess Diana scream, but I gasped and nothing's shocked me in awhile. I don't see end of days but I don't know what to make of it.

McConnell has a very tricky calculation to make. Does he actually try to do it and mobilize sentiment against him? It's so tricky.

Meanwhile, the fat ball of pus Rush Limbaugh lives on.

2020 can fuck right off.

RIP, but if she had only stepped down when Obama was in office, this would be a merely sad event instead of a tragic and frightening event. She wanted to stay a justice and enjoy the perks and the power, so here we are.

Schumer has to do everything and I mean EVERYTHING to stop any confirmation. I don’t care what it takes.

I screamed the Diana scream and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

You are right, R14. Everything.

R11, if McConnell tries, he will be telling Trump he does not believe Trump can win a second term.

R14 Not just Schumer. Everyone. As in take to the streets time if they push ahead with anything.

Fuck 2020 right in the ass!!!!

Damn! Damn! Damn!

No, all kidding aside this is terrible news. We are on the precipice of something really, really bad.

Get your asses out there and VOTE!!!!

I just posted in the other thread that I was louder than the Diana screamer. I am DEVASTATED.

Trump can leverage this and reframe his election as a fight for the Supreme Court seat. The pro lifers and religious right will run to vote for him.

“But her emails”

Fuck all you cunts who didn't vote for Hillary "because I don't trust/like her"!

Fuck every berniebot and garden variety dumbfuck who didn’t realize thIs implication of their actions in 2016.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies at 87. The Supreme Court justice was a legal pioneer for gender equality. By Washington Post Staff September 18, 2020 at 7:46 p.m. EDT

She rose to the top of her class at Columbia Law School in the 1950s, helped battle gender discrimination as a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union and, in 1993, became the second woman on the high court. Her fierce opinions as a justice made her a hero to the left. On the court, she became an iconic figure to a new wave of young feminists, and her regal image as the “Notorious RBG” graced T-shirts and coffee mugs. She also was the subject of a popular film documentary, “RBG,” in 2018. This is a developing story. It will be updated.

If this doesn’t get us more votes....it has to, yes? It should motivate more people. I agree r22, I agree.

Write your Senators NOW.

Abso-fucking-lutely no hearing before the election. None.

Welcome to right wing hell

She was old and sick!

I don't know if I can handle watching Rachel Maddow tonight; she's gonna be fucking suicidal.

Oh but Hillary and Trump are the same

-2016

We. Are. Fucked.

Drama queens need professional help

RBG's niece is saying that RBG dictated a statement before she died saying that it was her most fervent wish that she not be replaced on the Supreme Court until after the 2020 election.

[quote]She wanted to stay a justice and enjoy the perks and the power, so here we are.

Oh fuck off, you don't a thing about what she wanted. It's just as likely she loved her job and couldn't be happier than doing it for as long as she could.

Josh Marshall: "The Republicans established their principle. If they don’t follow it now Democrats must promise to add two new justices to the court if they take the senate, for a total of 11. Republican corruption can only be met with the strongest means."

I believe the new rule is "no nominations" when an election is nigh.

It's an election year and the Senate epublicans have their tails between their legs.

She should have stepped down when her health started to go, during Obama's term, but that's neither here nor there now. Now we have to keep Trump and the Senate Repukes from being able to nominate and seat another right wing nutcase on the Supreme Court, because we are FUCKED if they do.

You all are DELUSIONAL if you don’t think McConnell won’t push this through. Trump published a list LAST WEEK. McConnell is ready to go.

I'm an Eldergay and this has been the worst year of my life.

[quote]Oh but Hillary and Trump are the same -2016

Also 2016: "But, but, but...Hilary is dangerous!"

I am devastated. What a loss. America, America, God shed its grace on thee.

We lost a great one.

R39 I agree. You are living in la la land if you don't think Trump and the rethugs have got this whole thing in the bag and ready. The deal has been done, they have somehow already rigged the process to allow for it. Watch.

I swear to @#$ god I hope McConnell dies ASAP.

McConnell only said "No confirmations during an election year for an OUTGOING President, meaning two term President in his second year", so get ready everyone. They're going to try to confirm some asshole before Trump loses.

We're going to have to go through Kavanaugh all over again

r39. Let him try. That fuckin' Turtle will get SO MUCH pushback if he even tries to seat another justice before the election or between November and January (assuming we gain back the Senate).

And it’s very sad that this is going to completely overshadow what should have been a celebration of her accomplishments and life. Now nobody gives a fuck.

He already said he would do it, R46. He doesn’t give a FUCK about pushback.

Senate Republicans right now.

Very sad; I remember when she officiated that wedding thinking "what is she risking her life for?" But her cancer must have progressed to the point that she knew her days were numbered anyway so she took her chances with COVID.

The fundies were already mobilized to vote for Dump anyway and no doubt Turd Cruz & Tom Cotton are updating their resumes as we speak

Lord, as if thing weren't insane enough, but now this....

Just a few days ago, Trump was telling the press that he thought Ted Cruz would make a good SC judge. He probably knew what was going on with RBG, and he was fucking taunting her.

Oh, fuck

Lord help us

Dems under Schumer are weak as a limp noodle. Too bad as we need strong Dems right now. Let's see how Schumer rises to the occassion in this situation.

Omigod!

First, I want to pay tribute to the mighty impact that this accomplished woman had on the SCOTUS.

We all should realize now how important it is to throw this racist, sexist irresponsible imbecile out of the White House through the Ballot Box.

The Supreme Court needs to be reformed if the Democrats win the Senate and the White House it's the only way.

Either fixed term limits need to be introduced or expanding the number of seats and adding more justices to the bench.

Find yourself a nice European man from a nice family and get the fuck OUT.

Even if Schumer rises to t the occasion, R54, what is he possibly going to do? They have the majority and they will do whatever they want.

Engage with reality, Pollyanna at R3. Stupid fuck.

They just said on ABC, trump will put forth a new nominee name out in the next few days...

[quote] Schumer has to do everything and I mean EVERYTHING to stop any confirmation. I don’t care what it takes.

What is he supposed to do, exactly, handcuff himself naked to the doors of the senate? Remember there’s no more filibuster.

Silver lining — when Biden is president hopefully several of the Rightwing justices will die and Biden can insert whomever he wants.

[quote]It's an election year and the Senate epublicans have their tails between their legs.

It is a very tricky thing. So many marginals... this could tip it. This is now an election issue. The Republicans have a calculation to make. It could cost them the Senate, which means they go down as a result, I am sure of that. And with a Democratic election, perhaps the Court does expand to 11, at which point they're fucked even further.

If they replace her, they are admitting defeat.

It is tricky but GOP cares more about taking over the courts than the WH in the end. They are planning a long game.

[quote]Good. This should light a fire for apathetic liberals and Dems.

I hope you're right. I hope this finally wakes up apathetic Dems and gets them to VOTE.

Yeah I agree with the people above, the only reasonable development is taking the Senate and packing the Court. It is the only thing Democrats can do, since Mitch the Cunt will reverse everything he said in 2016. And also look at impeaching Kavanaugh.

Lisa Murkowski said it would be hypocritical to appoint a new justice before 2021

I swear to God, I feel like I can't breath.

Her death is tragic enough but the fact that Trump is going to get to appoint another Justice to the Supreme Court sickens me. Biden can win the election and we can take back the Senate but with a 6 to 3 conservative majority on SCOTUS we are screwed.

OP, your illiteracy matches your hysteria.

This was the worst possible thing to happen for her family, but it is the best possible thing for those against the Right and Trump and other fascists.

McConnell is completely fucked. Anyone who tips the scale to vote for a replacement is fucked. No one running for reelection who is trying to save herself is stuck. McConnell pushes it and wins - the GOP pays in votes. McConnell pushes and wins - the GOP pays in votes.

And if a replacement goes in, the Democrats win the Senate and can add justices to SCOTUS much more easily than anyone seems to realize.

The Democrats also can add additional justices to the court system to address the GOP packing strategy that is pouring shit into our judicial system.

Add to that the process of adding DC and perhaps Puerto Rico as states, and an automatic four senate seats apt to be steadily Democratic.

People will rise up at the sure devastation if McConnell tries anything. And he admits defeat if he doesn't try.

It's LOSE-LOSE-LOSE for the Republicans. They will, no doubt, do the wrong thing, because they are fascists, but they will pay. And that payment will go one for a long time.

BUT the Democrats must take both houses and the White House. Period.

If/when Trump loses it will be ugly and the cretins will be violent. If Biden were to lose, though, we shall have a real civil war. The country doesn't know what nonstop mass demonstrations, general strikes, transit shutdowns, and the rest of nonviolent actions are like. And, of course, it will escalate.

[quote]Dems under Schumer are weak as a limp noodle. Too bad as we need strong Dems right now. Let's see how Schumer rises to the occassion in this situation.

I anticipate lots of Sternly Worded Letters® and frowny faces.

Has Susan Collins expressed her concern yet?

I guess I'm not panicking like everyone else because in truth, I don't, in my heart, think Biden can win, so I'm not shocked that the Orange asshole will be able to pick the next Supreme. It's what I expected.

I truly hope you're right, R68, but I have to confess that I don't believe you are.

This is just as much a game changer for the Presidential election as it is for the long term future of the Court. It could be used as a huge game changer for Trump, have no doubt. The undecideds and non-voters will be energized and it is hard to say who will get the advantage.

It's nice that Murkowski said that. I don't believe for a second she won't vote.

[quote]in truth, I don't, in my heart, think Biden can win

Why not?

Why do you believe that r71? Or have you just given up on life in general?

Jeff Greenfield:

2. Romney and Murkowski likely "no" on filling the vacancy. Collins is between a rock and hard place. "Yea" or "nay" hurts her.

Lol - probably, r76. I don't know, r75, but I just don't see it. Maybe DL can cheer me up and get me to see otherwise!

How many Cunt Senators need to say no to stop a nomination from going thru?

r75, whomever that is you are responding to, I have them on ignore.

I smell a concern troll.

[quote]It's nice that Murkowski said that. I don't believe for a second she won't vote.

Moscow Mitch will force her in line with some kind of unspeakably evil threat, no doubt.

I forgot about Mittens! Perhaps an unlikely savior.

More than will, R79.

Give the old girl credit. TWO years ago PredictIt opened futures contracts on the next justice to be replaced. That seemed so obvious I put down a couple hundred but I could not have imagined she would hang on this long. Respect to the Iron Lady.

I'd like to take Susan Sarandon for a drive right about now.

John Dean has come up with an interesting suggestion for Biden; I didn't know this could be done. If elected, Joe needs to do this ASAP -- play dirty like the fucking Repugs.

It won't matter who wins. A lame duck Senate can get it done.

R68 is not correct. McConnell can pause the nomination until after the election, holding it as an incentive for the Evangelicals, etc. If the GOP maintains control, all good. If the lose the Senate, they can have the vote before Jan 1st and go out with a win, regardless.

It all hinges on Romney, Murkowski, and Collins. They have to have three Republicans vote against, a tie is broken by Pence.

I am about to have a very large glass of wine. This has upset me so much. The election has had me worried but I can't help feel that RBG's death will energize Republicans. Plus, I believe with all my heart that Trump and his Republican winged monkeys will in fact push through a confirmation.

R86 Biden would never do it. Democrats never want to do anything that will rock the boat. Unlike Rethugs, Dems care about Optics.

For you idiots saying she should have stepped down during the Obama Adminisration, see Merrick Garland.

R88 is correct.

I wouldn't be so quick to say that Biden wouldn't consider Dean's proposition, R90.

News: @SenatorCollins told me earlier this month in Maine that she would not seat a Supreme Court justice in October.

“I think that’s too close, I really do,” she said.

She said she’d also oppose seating a justice in the lame duck if there’s a change in presidents.

R91, she could have stepped down when the Dems still had control of the Senate. Dems had control for the first 6 years of the Obama Administration.

[quote] For you idiots saying she should have stepped down during the Obama Adminisration, see Merrick Garland.

Yes! Thank you for mentioning that. She would have had to step down well in advance of the end of Obama's 2nd term.

I'm conflicted about whether I think she should have stepped down. She died at 87. 4 years ago she was 83 ...

There is no God.

R92 I have no reason to believe he would.

R95, Obama had a Dem Senate until 2014. So she could have stepped down early in his Presidency and we would have had no problem confirming a replacement.

Pushing the idea that nominating anyone now is a tacit admission they don't think Trump will be re-elected could be a useful short term strategy, especially if it's done loudly enough for Trump to hear. Any split between the White House and Congressional Republicans would be helpful right now.

Would it not be more politically and electorally advantageous to Trump to dangle the supreme court nomination as a sweetie to voters to motivate them to elect him rather than use up that bullet pre presidential election? Holding of on appointing someone might be a strategy he prefers so to try and entice voters to reelect him?

Catchy thread title, though.

[quote] I swear to God, I feel like I can't breath.

Hi Kelly Osbourne/r67!

Remember, Supreme Court Justices can be impeached and removed by Congress. So, if the Dems take control of the Senate and the House next year I suggest the right wing Justices had better watch their Ps & Qs and make their rulings based on the law, not on their personal whims.

I don't think Dotard or any Rethug are actually worried about the election. Why would they be when they have spent 20 years figuring out how to cheat and steal it?

[quote] [R95], Obama had a Dem Senate until 2014. So she could have stepped down early in his Presidency and we would have had no problem confirming a replacement.

You're talking about Obama's 2nd term, right?

A tragic day, for the Ginsburg family, for justice and for America.

r91, last time I checked Obama was president for two terms (8 years), she could have and should have stepped down at any time before McConnell pulled his bullshit with Merrick Garland.

But like I already said, it doesn't matter anymore. She's gone and we have to deal with the NOW.

RBG was appointed in 1993 by Bill Clinton.

From Claire McCaskill

For those of you and pundits like John Dean and Josh Marshall calling to increase the court to 11 justices, that does nothing for us if the Republicans do end up replacing RGB. If that happens, the court will be 6 conservatives to 3 liberals. Adding two more liberal justices would still give the conservatives a majority. It needs to be increased to at least 13. Hell, I say push it to 21 and swamp the motherfuckers with a liberal court for generations.

If Mark Kelly beats McSally in the special AZ election to serve the rest of McCain’s term, he gets seated on Nov 30. That’s another vote against a GOP nominee in a lame duck session.

In the short term, I can’t face that fat f#cker Trump crowing about this any time he gets in front of a microphone for the next few months.

McConnell statement just out: "Americans reelected our majority in 2016 and expanded it in 2018 because we pledged to work with President Trump and support his agenda, particularly his outstanding appointments to the federal judiciary. Once again, we will keep our promise.

Our tax dollars will go to pay for Christian schools, there will be prayers in public schools, there will be Christian religious symbols placed in state capitols, abortion will be made illegal, perhaps many types of contraception as well, affirmative action will be over turned, laws protecting women from sexual harassment and abusive partners will be overturned, of course gay/trans rights will be overturned, no more gay marriage

Ultra conservative Christians will be able to dominate every aspect of our lives.

[quote]In the short term, I can’t face that fat f#cker Trump crowing about this any time he gets in front of a microphone for the next few months.

I can hear the fat bastard now: "Well, she wasn't very nice to me..."

McConnell just released a formal reply. He says that the Repugs will get their candidate placed on the Court before the election.

Donald Trump to put forth nominee to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in coming days: Sources The shortlist includes at least one woman, sources said.

If the tweets from reporters are correct McConnell won't have the votes for a Trump nomination.

He'll find them. You know he will, R118.

Jim Dabakis @JimDabakis · 6m BREAKING: A high-level Romney insider tells me Mitt Romney has committed to not confirming a Supreme Court nominee until after Inauguration Day 2021. #Mittrevenge #utpol

Any DLers at the Supreme Court presently? Please present hole so we can spot you.

If he loses 4 he can't find anything R119. That is 4 votes it needs.

What four is he going to not have?

I've worked with some older attorneys. Some really should retire and step aside. I know that RBG was more than just an attorney. She must have had such a great working situation, lots of support staff, etc.

RBG was good friends with Scalia. I wonder what her relationship with Clarence Thomas was like. Seems like she really enjoyed her job.

If R120 is true and Mitt Romney runs for president in 2024, I will switch my party affiliation to Republican just so I can vote for him in my state’s closed primary.

Romney, Collins, Murkowski and some other senator whose name escapes mr R123. They need four because Pence would be the tie breaker.

Lisa Murkowski has also committed to not voting for a Supreme Court Justice before Election Day.

He won't lose four votes.

[quote]I forgot about Mittens! Perhaps an unlikely savior.

As was foretold in prophesy.

From Politico:

[quote]President Donald Trump on Wednesday added 20 names to his existing list of 25 potential picks to fill a future Supreme Court vacancy, including Republican Sens. Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton and Josh Hawley.

TED CRUZ? TOM COTTON?

I'm hoping Romney and others realize this is the moment to position themselves for a future run, etc, and selfishly block this. I'll take it any way I can get it.

He has already lost r R128

*four

65-70% of Americans support Roe v Wade.

Murkowski has already said she won't vote to confirm anyone until after inauguration of president... Trump or Biden. Grassley? Alexander? Romney?

Even as McConnel has already said he'd go ahead and take Trump's nominee to a vote on the floor... no assurance it will be successful.

It's not over until it's over kids. Getting your sneakers ready to march in the streets.

I was so looking forward to seeing her at Biden's inauguration.

END OF DAYS 😞😢

[QUOTE] I was so looking forward to seeing her at Biden's inauguration.

I know. I can’t even be angry over Trump potentially replacing her. I’m just so sad that she passed away. She was a wonderful woman and a very good soul. If anyone deserved to live 100 years, it was Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

How do these unhealthy old men like McConnell, Trump and Barr keep on living? Where is Covid when we need it? Or a plain old heart attack or stroke would be fine.

Is Kate McKinnon going to sing again?

She was in and out of the hospital so often in the past couple of years. There were DL threads every time she went into the hospital.

[QUOTE] How do these unhealthy old men like McConnell, Trump and Barr keep on living? Where is Covid when we need it? Or a plain old heart attack or stroke would be fine.

Well she did live for 87 years. I doubt any of the men you named will make it that long.

So we've got Romney, Collins, Murkowski . . . but who's the fourth?

Of course these people will go after abortion rights. Is gay marriage also in jeopardy?

No, he hasn't R132.

People can say whatever they want to... doesn't mean it's a guarantee. We'll see what happens when push comes to shove.

R142, somebody needs to blackmail Little Marco.

[QUOTE] So we've got Romney, Collins, Murkowski . . . but who's the fourth?

Chuck Grassley, apparently.

Lisa Murkowski Senator from Alaska said she will not vote to confirm a nominee before the election. The Dems need 3 more Republicans to stop it. The two senators in tight races, Gardner and Collins should be 2 but we would need one more. Tillis in NC has been behind in the polls as NC also has favored Biden over Trump.

Thank you, R146. I hadn't heard that he'd weighed in.

LGBT flag being waved in front of Supreme Court. Is that you, Erna?

She had to preside over that wedding. Fuck them.

Nobody should count on Murkowski. She's never quite "sure" what she's going to do, then she goes along with the other assholes.

Lisa, just shut up.

Can I have her stuff?

I think Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania might be a good target in terms of senators who won’t vote to confirm a justice before Election Day. He’s due for another run in 2022.

This is the worst episode of Game of Thrones ever.

R146 No comment from Grassley yet, but just going down the list of any Republicans left who care about our institutions. Lamar Alexander another likely suspect.

Yeah, Grassley already stated that he would not support the move. And Senatrice hinted so as well. So there are at least 5 GOP senators who are reluctant at least. It's going to be lots of hand wringing by McConnell to convince his conference.

But I think they will be scared to actually go through with it, knowing that this will give Dems even more reason to push through the Court reforms once they eventually get the majority. They will probably do the theatrics, like with ACA vote, knowing it's going to fail.

Which R Senators are in jeopardy of losing their seats?

"... somebody needs to blackmail Little Marco."

did 'im

And. just another comment... fuck Susan Sarandon, fuck Jill Stein, and (I am socialist by nature, but...) fuck the Bernie supporters who refused to vote in 2016.

This is what people were trying to explain in 2016. Right to choose, voting rights, labor rights... public schools, marriage equality... all could be in jeopardy. It's NOT overstatement... the darkness is here kids.

Berniebots were 'tards.

[QUOTE] And. just another comment... fuck Susan Sarandon, fuck Jill Stein, and (I am socialist by nature, but...) fuck the Bernie supporters who refused to vote in 2016.

And these motherfuckers will still be out here saying “Joe Biden is just as bad—he voted for the Iraq war!” 😂

It’s over. Trump will eek out a win now because conservatives will vote for him because of this. Dems chances of winning the senate just dropped dramatically too. We’re fucked.

Fuck that god damn creep Bernie Sanders to hell, fuck his followers, fuck that stupid ass Sarandon, fuck that Putin-loving clown Jill Stein. Fuck them all, I hope they burn in hell or at least spontaneously combust.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg is dead to me.

She had a hot ass but she wasn't going to live forever.

Come on, queens. I know this is the apocalypse but you're seriously slipping.

I only say this here so as not to start an unnecessary thread about terrible news, but seriously, I'm ashamed.

R162 You're high (if you're not a bot).

Turn out will be increased on both sides. Increased turnout across the board helps Biden.

Nobody is moving toward Trump over this, R162. The battlefield is still the same, and the wind is at Joe Biden’s back. It’s bad enough we just lost Ruth, we don’t need you Eeyoring it up over the election in here.

r162 is a concern troll people.

Please learn how to recognize one.

Talk about a Hail Mary pass. Trump must be creaming his khakis.

R162 Maybe not, have hope! This will be old news by Monday and there are a lot of conservatives who care more about what Trump’s idiocy has done to the economy. They will vote for their own self interest more than the future of the Supreme Court. Well, I’m trying to be positive.

R166 republicans who hate trump and we’re going to suck it up and vote for Biden just switched their votes to trump. All they care about is abortion. They will not vote for a democrat to appoint a lifetime justice. It will eneergize Democrats too, but we need that energy in certain states. We saw in 2018 that it energized both sides, but more Rs and dems lost the senate.

Trump is going to win

Yeah I don't think this moves anyone to Trump. The evangelicals and the rest of the cult were already excited to vote for him. I think this might finally get Been Bots, young women, and others to get their asses to the damn polls.

Cher is upset.

Oh shit...

Romney’s comms director says any news of how he would vote on a nomination is fake.

[QUOTE]They will not vote for a democrat to appoint a lifetime justice. It will eneergize Democrats too, but we need that energy in certain states. We saw in 2018 that it energized both sides, but more Rs and dems lost the senate.

R170, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was 87 and knocking on death’s door years ago. It was obvious to everyone that the winner of this election would appoint her replacement, so why would anybody who supported Joe now move to Trump. What do you think, there was a possibility that she might stay on the court for four more years? That shit is already baked into the cake.

[quote] Which R Senators are in jeopardy of losing their seats?

Several of them. McSally in Arizona will definitely lose. Gardner in Colorado is on very shaky ground. Same with Tillis in NC. Susan Collins in Maine has been running behind her challenger for months now. La Senatrice is running neck-and-neck with his challenger in SC.

By the way, the Dems only need three votes to block a nominee, not four.

Mark Kelly is pretty much a lock, so that leaves two votes needed.

R174 but it’s wasn’t front and center like it is now. Trump is going to talk about this every single time he’s on camera. If you don’t think the election just got flipped on it’s head you’re delusional.

r110 - Roberts is the new Kennedy. I don't expect it from the two recent appointments, but justices often turn neutral once they are appointed. Kennedy and Souter come to mind. But if we extended the court to 11, I would be hopeful that Roberts would continue to vote his conscience.

The problem is Rs vote based on the courts, dems don’t. It’s a sad reality. This will juice turnout. I still think Biden will win, but someone like Jamie Harrison in South Carolina has zero chance at winning now. This will have massive down ballot consequences.

Omg I forgot all about Cory Gardner R175. No way he wants any part of a vote now. He’ll probably be begging Mitch to hold off until after the election.

Trump already has his 40%: That includes the anti abortion diehards: I don’t see how this does much to change things.

But r176, 3 votes would only give the Democrats 50 votes; couldn't the Republicans just use Pence to break the tie?

They will wait until the lame duck to push someone thru. Mitch is smart. He will use this for the election. Vulnerable Rs can say they’re against it and then if they lose they’ll just vote for the nominee during the lame duck. Like it or not Trump will get another justice on the court.

Biden needs to expand the SC if he wins.

Romney is a conservative sorta-Christian. His cult is anti abortion and he will gladly vote in a conservative anti abortion candidate in. Never mind that these ultra Christians don't think Mormons are Christian, with their beliefs in moving to planets after death, etc.

And those of you who have mentioned Murkowski as an uncertain ally, she did vote against Kavanaugh (though it was technically a “present” vote because it was “paired“ with Daines of MT, who had to miss the vote But would’ve voted in favor.)

R183 I agree that this is perfect opportunity for GOP to campaign on this issue rather than use the majority to appoint someone now. Mitch is not stupid to miss a good crisis to his advantage.

Even Fox News are not sure about this.

R181 it gets them to the polls. Tho I think the ship has sailed for trump. But this will help juice turnout for down ballot Rs.

You’re right, I was forgetting the GOP have 53, not 52.

This election is going to be decided by suburban women. They’re not voting for trump.

There’s no such thing as an “undecided” voter this time around. There’s only voters and non voters. This will juice turnout for Rs, sure, but it will also juice up turnout for dems, especially women. Suburban women decide this election and they don’t want Trump nominating another justice. Kavanaugh drove them to the polls to vote for dems and we won the house by a large margin.

Meanwhile, it only took one minute before the endangered Ernst started her campaign on this

[quote] Mark Kelly is pretty much a lock, so that leaves two votes needed.

Even if Kelly wins he won't be sworn in as a senator until around mid January. And if the incumbent republican fails she has nothing to lose by voting to confirm a new justice before then.

Putting up a name and running on that makes sense for Republicans. Helps down ballots but not really Trump. Elections have consequences and this is what the Dems losing in 2016 has let happen.

[QUOTE] Even if Kelly wins he won't be sworn in as a senator until around mid January. And if the incumbent republican fails she has nothing to lose by voting to confirm a new justice before then.

That Arizona senate election is actually a special election to replace a senator who died, R191, so he would be seated at the end of November.

Kaddish for RBF:

God, full of mercy, Who dwells above, provide a sure rest on the wings of the Divine Presence, amongst the holy, pure and glorious who shine like the sky, to the soul of Ruth.

Shana tova/ happy new year! Let's make this year our best. Vote Biden.

Too bad she didn't retire at age 80 and the country would not be left in such a mess.

I cant wait to see who Trump's nominee is. This woman will be more important to the 2020 election than both the candidates.

[quote]Romney is a conservative sorta-Christian. His cult is anti abortion

I remember a story about Romney arguing that Mormons could be pro-choice, that it was a matter of personal conscience.

r195 no one wants to say it, but it's the truth.

This election was already heading for the Supreme Court. The next four months are going to be very, very ugly. Quite possibly the end of our republic.

Let's just worry about the next battle. We gotta pack the court. America is a left- center country according to data, trends, demographics, and polls. The courts cannot impose themselves on the will of the ppl.

Thank you, r194.

R200, I don’t buy that America is a left-center country. America is two countries existing in the same crowded space, one center and one right.

It's still John Roberts court and he hasn't messed with our gay rights and the choice of women. He upheld Obamacare in crunch time. All's not lost. We need to win big in a few weeks and give Biden the chance to sweep the country to left. He won't completely. But Biden's eager to leave his mark on the presidency and the country.

Say goodbye to abortion, voting rights, environmental rights, They will appoint Trump as the president when the election lands there. This is terrifying

R195 She could have enjoyed the remaining years of her life, while gaining satisfaction from the knowledge that her successor likely would carry forward her work. She also seemed to enjoy the speakers’ circuit. You know it must have killed her (no pun...) to die now, she HATED Trump and the last thing she wanted was to give him the keys to a victory. She must have tried so hard to hang on.

R202:

This argument may sound coolheaded and pragmatic. But its core premises — that American voters are hostile to progressive economics and have punished the (increasingly left-wing) Democratic Party accordingly — actually rest on ideological conviction, not empirical evidence.

In truth, the Republican Party’s dominance has little to do with the American electorate’s “center-right” ideology. We know this for two simple reasons: First, the vast majority of that electorate has no ideology, whatsoever. And second, when polled on discrete policy questions, Americans consistently express majoritarian support for a left-of-center economic agenda.

R202 Most of what America "cares about" doesn't scan on a left-right continuum. Right to choose has attached to conservatives because of the Christianist capture of the Republican Party. Old line conservatives were among the first supporting legalized abortion. 77% of Americans support some continuation of Roe v Wade.

r206 We were on the same page.

I hate to be a black cloud here, but if Kavanaugh got in, the Senate will approve somebody else before the year is over.

Anyone who cared about a conservative court was already voting for trump. Come on. The only way this helps trump is it gets covid out of the headlines and he can dangle a nomination in front of Rs to ensure they rush to the polls.

Biden will still win.

If the Republicans push through a SC justice, the first thing the Democrats should do in 2021 is vote to impeach Kavanaugh for perjury.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, in 2018 justifying his treatment of Merrick Garland: "If an opening comes in the last year of President Trump's term, and the primary process has started, we'll wait to the next election"

Anyone want to bet he totally changes his tune now? Power and corruption and no ethics.... our country is screwed, and screwed the most by those how pose as super patriots.

Of course Trump and McConnell are gonna appoint a conservative hard-ass to the Supreme Court,R209. Trump is gonna have 3 appointees to the Supreme Court before his first term is over. Nixon had 4 in 5 years. We will win in a few weeks, the House, the Senate and the White House. Everything is pointing that way. Biden must push a left- ish agenda if the Republicans get away with this bullshit.

I had to unfriend someone on facebook who was too celebratory about the death. The woman has never hurt anyone. So fucking bizarre.

Oh honey, threats to Miss Lindsey’s reputation are being made by formerly closeted SC political operatives!

jimmy williams @Jimmyspolitics · 2h . @LindseyGrahamSC if you move a scotus nominee I will do everything I can to destroy you. Let me be clear: you put a Justice on the bench and you will lose

R210, I wish I could agree, but something tells me the polls will bump up for Trump because anti-choice is very important to some undecideds. Hope I'm wrong.

nah, anti-choice are already all in for Trump and the Trump Cult party. It actually may motivate some pro-choice voters instead.

Lady Lindsey better stick to her word

Yeah, the anti-choice people were already a known factor. They will be just as rabid. What does it take to impeach a justice on the SCOTUS.?

David Gergen said on CNN tonight that he thinks this will help drive turnout more to Biden's advantage.

R216, Anti-choice people are NEVER undecided.

R220 I agree. Fear is a great motivator. So is anger. Republicans were already voting for trump. I’ve seen a lot of Bernie bird saying they are voting for Biden now. 2018 was proof that dems are motivated by the courts now, especially suburban women.

R194 Thank you. Beautiful...

According to Jewish tradition, a person who dies on Rosh Hashanah, which began tonight, is a tzaddik, a person of great righteousness. Baruch Dayan HaEmet. Ruth Bader Ginsburg definitely epitomizes righteousness.

Clarence Thomas will soon drop dead. He's an old 72, overweight. Falls asleep in public.

Please let Clarence Thomas hang on until Biden takes office!

My suspicion is Trump will use this to his advantage in the election, ramming through a super conservative that the evangelicals adore, someone who has said she (it’ll be a woman) supports overturning Roe.

He needs the vangies to come out for him in big numbers.

The cops turned from beating, bloodying and teargassing BLM protesters to escorting the Trump carnival through the city as if they were friends.

I doubt if we are going to see justice in this country for a long time.

RIP RBG.

To heal the country, Trump should nominate Hillary. It may be the only way to save his presidency.

I'm trying not to get too swept up with doomscrolling on Twitter (or here) right now.... because what is the point? It just makes it more exhausting.

What was on her cassettes?

Conservatives ALREADY HAVE a majority on the Supreme Court - they're not going to be galvanized to vote on the basis of this. This definitely helps Democratic turnout far more. The only thing now is to wait and see if Biden says he'll expand the Court if the Republicans go ahead with it in the lame duck session (and he'd better).

(Trump's going to nominate Amy Coney Barrett - she's been on the top of the list for ages.)

[quote]I had to unfriend someone on facebook who was too celebratory about the death. The woman has never hurt anyone. So fucking bizarre.

This is known as "addition by subtraction," R214.

[quote]To heal the country, Trump should nominate Hillary.

Even her husband said during the Obama administration that nominating Hillary would be a mistake. Bill said it should be someone young who could be on the court for many decades.

I blame Bernie Sanders...if his people voted for Hillary, she would be making the choice!

Stack the court.

You spelt my name wrong, OP!

I donated via actblue to “Get Mitch or Die Trying” because I like the catchy slogan and I have to do something. I’ve never donated to politics before because the amount I’d donate is so small but, damn, now is the time.

On the other hand it would get Hillary out of the house.

I will say this has to be one of the most disgusting things I ever seen from McTurtle: His "October Surprise" being RBG meeting her "reward"...

What. A. Fucking. Ghoul.

There are so many things I would love to see happen to this piece of subhuman excrement .... I would type them out here but I'm afraid they may disturb even DL's censors.

[quote] I just fell to the floor holding my computer and typing this after minutes of heaving crying and making terrible sounds. No words.

At least RBG is no longer in pain.

Yep, Mitch is gross for trying to make her death the "October Surprise"

Hate that motherfucking turtle

Sad and scared.

Mary! @ Amee Vanderpool, R241.

Republicans will overplay their hand as they usually do. They are doomed

R239 With my luck they'd shift all SC work to Zoom and.....

[quote].if his people voted for Hillary, she would be making the choice!

If people had voted to nominate someone who could have won against Trump (e.g. basically anyone), that person would be making the choice.

Anyone who has no idea how Germany slid into fascism in the 1930s hasn't been paying attention to what's been happening in this country since 2016.

For an example of stunning historical ignorance, hyperbole and woefully absurd parity, see R248.

R247 The disease of "yeah but!"

Hlllary was the nominee. Many on the left chose not to vote for her. Now we are totally screwed.... maybe for the rest of our lifetime.

Donate to "Get Mitch or Die Trying" which helps Dem Senate candidates

Fuck you r247, you are part of the reason we are here now.

If you wanted to stop Trump you vote for the DEMOCRATIC nominee period. PERIOD.

So were you a sore loser Bernie bro, or a Jill Stein supporter?

So we need four Republicans not to vote for Trump's nominee and we have four who allegedly, maybe, just maybe won't (Murkowski, Collins, Romney, Grassley). I'm not feeling comfortable yet.

And there's always a risk of being betrayed by Manchin again.

On the other hand, it does seem like anti-abortion people are ALWAYS thinking about the Supreme Court when they go to the polls, whereas liberals take abortion and gay rights pretty much for granted these days. So it might galvanize more Democrats than Republicans to vote because the latter were motivated by the Supreme Court already while the former needed a kick in the pants.

Allow me to be frank for a quick moment. I think this is really going to fuck Joe Biden over badly. For starters, to a lot of the posters here demanding the Democrats pack the courts in response: they won't do this. Even after all the fuckery the Reich has pulled over the decades, the Democrats still roll over for them every time. Kavanagh, Merrick Garland, Clarence Thomas, Gore v Bush. This is a time honored tradition. So unless Biden makes a sharp 180 and says he will pack the courts, then he's in a bad place right now.

Once Ginsburg's replacement is sworn in, it eliminates one of the biggest reasons for voting for Biden. Now that the Supreme Court is gone, unless Democrats plan to aggressively get it back, then it eliminates one of the key reasons for voting for Biden this fall. Why vote for him if you can just wait it out until 2024 and get a better Democrat who will pack the courts? It's not like Trump's going to do it himself unless he keeps the senate, which may not happen. So it removes a sense of urgency around the issue if they aren't pushing this angle now.

Even putting this aside, I don't really believe that packing the courts is the right idea. It basically will be abused to a point where it makes the court absolutely meaningless with tons of appointees and excess federal spending further increasing our debt. My personal view is that this country needs a violent overthrow, but putting that aside, the best course of action is to play FDR like hardball with the court and that happens on both the federal and state levels.

On the federal front, make the justices jobs as difficult as possible. Eliminate their ability to receive outside income. Use the IRS to tax them aggressively if they violate the rules. Impeach Kavanagh. Put spouses and family of all the right wing justices under constant investigation with the DOJ. On the state front, have Democratic governors adamantly refuse to enforce rulings we disagree with. Have support for defying these orders from the President. Dare the court to try to enforce their rulings (they can't, they have no military power, just a small police force). Make the lives of the justices such hell that they either snap and retire, croak or bend the knee (like the switch that saved nine).

There are strategic ways to deal with this, but this is going to come down to whether Democrats are serious or just serving as controlled opposition for the 1%. The ball is in their court. Choose a course of action wisely.

R.I.P. R.B.G. :(

POLITICO reports that ActBlue has already raised $10 million in donations after McConnell's threat to replace RBG:

Special episode of the gabfest podcast just out.

Where are the pod save bros? Where’s an emergency podcast? 538?

[quote]So we need four Republicans not to vote for Trump's nominee

You mean actually vote "Nay" against the nominee. If 6 Republicans senators were to abstain, which is the most likely action they would take, the vote would be 47-47 and Pence would break the tie. So the Republicans just need the resisters to abstain.

He tried that once, R81 and ran someone against her. Murkowski won. I believe her. We need 3 more to make it clear.

Act Blue donation link:

We already have the three more R260. We have Romney, Grassley and if Miss Lindsey lives up to their word her too. Probably Collins too.

Democrats and progressives are weeping and wailing in The streets now. But they have failed to make the courts a motivating issue, unlike conservatives have done for decades. We were warned in 2016 that this could happen, yet we foolishly failed to rally around this issue. Be sad, but don’t be shocked

I see you have been watching the news R263/

Romney's people have already come out to say that he did not say he wouldn't vote.

No Democrats are weeping in the streets R263.

I just gave 30 bucks to Amy McGrath.

Fuck McConnell to the lower depths of hell.

R254 Interesting. A couple weak spots.... One is assuming that "once justice is sworn in, voters will be less inclined to vote for Biden." I doubt the conclusion, but the premise is wrong as well. No justice will be nominated, hearings, vote, and sworn in... before the election. Logistically impossible.

Lame duck session... sure it's possible.

Voting started this week...

R254 Interesting. A couple weak spots.... One is assuming that "once justice is sworn in, voters will be less inclined to vote for Biden." I doubt the conclusion, but the premise is wrong as well. No justice will be nominated, hearings, vote, and sworn in... before the election. Logistically impossible.

Lame duck session... sure it's possible.

Voting started this week...

....

Biden knows the Senate old school like Lyndon Johnson. After so much tragedy he must step up and give the country a step into the moral right direction. This shit is not normal. This is not right for our experiment in America

[quote]So we need four Republicans not to vote for Trump's nominee and we have four who allegedly, maybe, just maybe won't (Murkowski, Collins, Romney, Grassley). I'm not feeling comfortable yet.

I'm not sure why Collins's name keeps coming up. She may express "concern," but in the end she'll follow the party line.

Exactly, R272. If anyone continues to believe she'll do the right thing... they need to get their brains checked.

She died before her time.

if it makes any of you feel better, if you search type "bastard" on twitter, almost every result is McConnell or Trump lol

I was hoping for that kind of result but it filled me with a bit of joy

it means the outrage and anger are growing

I've been saying all along that Biden still wasn't making federal judges enough of a talking point in his campaign. I don't understand why so many liberals don't seem to care about the courts. I'm not talking about the ones who reliably watch the news. I just mean people who have liberal views but often don't feel like voting matters much.

Many conservatives, even ones who don't reliably watch Fox/other right wing media, are very motivated by federal courts. They get sexually aroused at the idea of overturning social progress in this country. They foam at the mouth to take away women's reproductive rights, minority rights and gay rights.

Why liberals don't get motivated to keep gaining further progress is beyond comprehension

Interesting point ...

Vote ALL republicans out of office

Plan Now, how you are going to deal with Voter Suppression.

STAY ON TARGET!

Vote in honor of RUTH, The Notorious RBG, which is really just protecting your rights

and America DEMOCRACY.

Register Democratic, Independents, Libertarians and Republicans can all get behide this.

VOTE FOR JOE BIDEN and Blue Down Ballot.

Do not give rich assholes more power TAKE AWAY THERE POWER TO TAKE DEMOCRACY AND RIGHTS FROM YOU.

Joe Biden 2020

Blue Down Ballot.

R276: Biden has good advisors. Maybe this will be his come to Jesus moment on the importance of judicial nominations.

Thune has already joined McConnell in the hypocrisy. He released a statement tonight saying the vote will go forward

There won't be a vote before the election! Even McConnell knows that's a bad idea.

If they do a vote, it'll be in the lame duck session.

JFC OP.

GinsbUrg!

[quote]Once Ginsburg's replacement is sworn in, it eliminates one of the biggest reasons for voting for Biden.

Such BS r254. SCOTUS is but one reason among dozens to vote for Biden and a blue ballot. Yes it was important (still is), but you're asking why bother to vote for Biden now that RBG is gone? What about COVID & public health; racial justice; education and general health care; voting rights and protections; climate change; crumbling national infrastructure; international reputation, etc etc etc.

The list is lengthy. Don't come here suggesting we shouldn't vote Blue because of a single situation or issue, there's just too much at stake.

[quote] David Gergen said on CNN tonight that he thinks this will help drive turnout more to Biden's advantage.

Consider the choice. Gergen is as objective a commentator as John Dean.

R281 just heard an interesting argument repubs are weighing though

They're afraid if there's only 8 judges and the election results are closely contested and the case goes all the way up the chain, they can't necessarily rely on Roberts automatically siding with Trump

Agree re Roberts, he has clearly swung towards the middle since being seated and made Chief Justice. More center-right than openly conservative, as was originally thought about him. He's replaced Kennedy as the 'swing vote' on the Court in many instances - his vote is not easily predicted.

R285

That’s why the Senate will ram through Ted Cruz as the new SCOTUS appointee.

Safe state for replacement, and will sail through the Senate.

I was watching the news on MSNBC R286 and some of the commenters were worried that this would give Roberts an out to side with the conservatives.

These fucking ghouls are openly celebrating her death.

It's disgusting. Just shows what vile people they are

Is 2020 the most chaotic year since 1968?

What are the chances of McConnell getting COVID and dying before the end of the year?

I wonder how effective Trump and right wing media will be at making this the top issue instead of coronavirus

Hopefully the mainstream media will not let Trump off the hook again.

r231 gurl she was 87. I think we can safely say it was a Victrola

They’ll have some right wing nutjob confirmed before the election. Susan Colins will vote to confirm despite having concerns.

But hey, at least Bernie Bros and Jill Stein fans have their street cred, right?

Ted Cruz.

It’s inevitable.

They knew RBG was terminal, so I’m sure they have him as the contingency.

Nice language, OP.

Ruth is not pleased.

Time to shoot multiple republican senators.

Stevie has weighed in (I feel a song coming on soon):

FYI . . . I just got gas at an Orlando 7-11 and told the clerk "tell everyone they have to vote--vote for Biden--and he said "No Spanish people vote for Joe, for TRUMP!

it really is quite amazing and maddening how many times Trump throughout his life and repubs in the last 30 years have gotten lucky just when it seemed like they were about to lose

𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐑𝐁𝐆 𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐝

He and the panel agree McConnell will get it through

Satan always protects his own.

No one gives a shit what Maher has to say R302

The only good thing is I read that on Sunday, there's going to be some major report dropping about a FinCen SARS leak

They've gone too far. No one likes a cheat.

She was 87 and had cancer. How many times has she been hospitalized this year?

What's most important is that I explain to why this is actually good in the long run.

I can’t believe Democratic Americans are going to roll over and take this from McConnell. No more “both sides of the aisle” bullshit. When Biden gets in, if the Dems take the Senate, they need to get to work and transform this country - fuck bipartisanship. And Biden needs to expand the court to 15 justices and stack it with liberals, no questions asked.

The voters that pay attention to & are savvy about SCOTUS appointments are the anti-abortion / pro-choice people. They understand the role that courts play.

Nope, the first thing Democrats will do on day one is make sure trans rights to use specifically designed racially appropriate urinals are secured so they don't get dragged on Twitter. Meanwhile, the GOP will be working on continuing to stack courts.

[quote]racially appropriate urinals

Lower slung for the more generously hung?

If Trump were smart which he is not, he would nominate Merrick Garland as a slam dunk.

R235 socialists are happy about this. They understand they need a revolution to assume power, so a court that pulls back on civil rights is a means to this end.

Why the mutherfuck does this orange fat bastard get everything handed to him on a silver platter? He continues to be a repugnant abomination and yet he's still standing. Enough.

Collins and Murkowski both said they will not vote to confirm a new Justice before the election. So maybe there’s some hope. Of course we all know that Collins will hem and haw and then do what Trump wants anyway.

Whaaa? R313? He would alienate his base, and the Dems would still want him out of office. Lose-Lose for the turd.

R293, she was the Notorious RBG. She had an iPhone with opera on those speakers.

Tell me about it, r315.

When my beloved kitty died of cancer at only four years old earlier this year, I screamed and cried and raged that such a sweet, affectionate animal would die so young while these vile abominations thrive.

I'm STILL fucking pissed off as hell about it.

Fuck this goddam year.

I want the House, the White House and EIGHT MOTHERFUCKING RED SENATE SEATS to flip BLUE to make up for the heaping, stinking pile of rotting fish guts this year has been.

RBG was one of the most talented Justices ever. She also had a lot of pain and struggle throughout her life. Despite that, she had a good heart, which is hard to encounter in Washington DC. At a time when gay men were oppressed beyond belief, they identified with her struggles, and she theirs.

Sorry about your sweet kitty, r319.

I am worn the fuck out. The kind of angry where you end up a crying mess. How can such evil thrive, I wonder?

The old girl put up a fight no doubt about it. She tried to hold out to see a Biden victory. Let this be a call to everyone to get out and VOTE. Do it for RBG if you dont want to do it yourself do it for her.

Our only chance to turn things around is by voting. No one is being arrested or impeached or guillotined or whateverthefuck hyperbole that's being tossed around. Likes, retweets, arguing on Twitter? It means NOTHING if we don't vote in overwhelming numbers.

Volunteer, locally and for Joe. Donate if you're able. Vote. Make sure you do do so that they HAVE TO count your vote!

*do so correctly

[quote] Collins and Murkowski both said they will not vote to confirm a new Justice before the election

The day AFTER election day is Wednesday Nov 4th. Their objection satisfied.

I’ll make a prediction: same sex marriage will be repealed in less than 365 days.

If you did not vote for Hillary then you helped to bring about the end of same sex marriage.

In 2016 my then 19-year-old niece wasted her vote by writing in Bernie Sanders.

I told her before she left for the polling place if her vote set into motion any circumstance that invalidated my marriage I would cut her out of my life and never speak to her again as well as cutting her out of my will.

Even my republican sister told her if she was going to waste a vote on Bernie she might as well vote for Trump.

R327 What a cunt you are. Your niece should be so lucky to lose you.

She doesn’t give a shit about me but she sure not .gonna be happy about being cut out of my will.

R327 MARY!

They're claiming she died of cancer, but why was a man who strongly resembled Jared Kushner seen sneaking out the back door?

She was the closest thing we have to a saint. One of the greatest people to have ever lived.

Take your conspiracy bullshit somewhere else, r331. Show some GD respect.

I believe r331 was being facetious r333.

[quote] Show some GD respect.

Yes, saying god damned certainly shows respect.

R332 - that's a bit of an exaggeration. Sure, RBG was a very significant jurist but hardly 'one of the greatest people to have ever lived'.

R334, there will be no flame wars on a RBG thread.

RIP RBG

Oopsie....my fav psychic Linda G. Did not see this coming. Oh, shit!

[quote]I’ll make a prediction: same sex marriage will be repealed in less than 365 days. If you did not vote for Hillary then you helped to bring about the end of same sex marriage.

You have no idea how the appellate process works, but don't let that take away from your Mary! moment.

R338 you obviously have no idea how successful Trump is at leapfrogging over the appellate process and getting his pet cases before the court.

We are fucked, indeed. Our fuckity fuck cup runneth over.

I love that one of her best friends was Anton Scalia. It’s refreshing these days when people can have different views but still form a friendship anyway.

Marriage equality isn’t going anywhere. Gorsuch said in his hearings that the issue was settled law as far as he was concerned, and Roberts would cite precedent to keep it the law of the land the same way he did with the abortion ruling a few months ago.

[quote]you obviously have no idea how successful Trump is at leapfrogging over the appellate process and getting his pet cases before the court.

Which case is it that you imagine will leapfrog on to the SC docket, so that we can all follow along?

Washington post

what's going to happen if the repubs do succeed is we'll be more and more like 2 different countries. If you live in a blue state, you'll still have all your rights. If you live in a red state, however, you 're fucked as there won't be federal protections

R293, she always kept up-to-date.

Buck never would have died within weeks of a Presidential election.

it's so bizarre that for the last 3 elections we've dealt with SCOTUS openings

2016 evil Scalia dies and the seat remains empty as a motivator for repubs

2018 Kennedy retires and evil Kavanaugh gets confirmed just ahead of midterms. Democrats are enraged and flip the House but repubs keep the Senate

2020 our beloved Ruth dies and now chaos just weeks before the election

The loss of RBG is painful, but hopefully it will motivate Dems to vote in larger numbers in 2020. Elections matter.

[quote]what's going to happen if the repubs do succeed is we'll be more and more like 2 different countries. If you live in a blue state, you'll still have all your rights.

Nope, not that simple. Federal laws override state remember? So for example, they cold with control like that reverse out all gay rights including marriage, mandatory sentences for marijuana use, stop billions of dollars of funding to blue states, drilling for oil in national parks, remove all laws regarding pollution, remove all laws banning hunting, close down the US post office, drain social security, eliminate food stamps, unemployment, disability rights etc, etc. Don't think they wont do it if they win.

R349 I hope you’re right but I’ll bet it’s the other way around.

The MAGAs will want to reward Trump for getting a SC justice confirmed before election day and they know Thomas will most likely retire in the next four years and if Biden is president his appointment will cancel out trumps

If McConnell railroads a Justice through in the next month, then that Justice should be impeached in January by a Democratic Senate on the basis that he/she was fraudulently appointed. McConnell himself said that the Senate doesn’t take up Supreme Court appointments in an election year.

R343. Definitely reverse women's right to have abortions and then declare that Voters Rights Act is unconstitutional.

It's not fraudulent R352 if they ram someone though. Moscow Mitch can say whatever lie he wants as long as the person being put in the job is approved by the majority vote which they have.

That rapist Jude Brett Kavanaugh on the other hand may be up for grabs. They did suppress some testimony from the woman who said he raped them. That's grounds for an investigation and removal.

Dems need to be ruthless if they win, no more of this "well he's already a judge" BS. He's unqualified and everyone knows it and should be removed. Unfortunately, I doubt they will.

Democrats and liberals are paying the foreseeable price for not prioritizing courts. Republicans have been laser-focused on the courts for decades, while Democrats were too stupid or feckless to do the same. This is the natural consequence of Democrats’ stupidity.

Oh...get rid of national parks and open them to commercial enterprise and get rid of OSHA for worker protections. Get rid of the Clean Air Act and dissolve the EPA. Declare the KKK be legitimate if BLM is legitimate. Take away the vote for women and Negroes because they are NOT equal to white men. Declare there cannot be rape in any marriage....and strip away LGBTQ rights.

R342, stop being foolishly naive. Just utter stupidity

“ The voters that pay attention to & are savvy about SCOTUS appointments are the anti-abortion / pro-choice people. They understand the role that courts play.”

THIS.

Yup r358. I know two people that voted for Trump and both of them said they held their nose and voted for him because they want the court stacked with conservative judges.

I had no idea how the Supreme Court in the US works until I read this thread, but now that I know I gotta say this: this woman was a selfish cunt! She fucked your country over just so she could bask in the glory for a few more years...Hope it was worth it, Ruth.

I have a friend that dislikes Trump, but she says she has to vote Trump because opposing abortion is her highest priority and issue. She is liberal on Economic policy, the environment, health care, but she says no issue matters as much as abortion.

Keep the rubes focused on fighting abortion and homos—those wedge issues are the GOP’s Trojan horse. There’s a huge contingency of Catholics that are no different than evangelicals—they think that liberals are ruining this country and only care about abortion when it comes to social justice. Equate an issue involving protecting the rights of the born to the rights of the unborn on a Catholic forum and watch the shit hit the fan. It’s this weird myopia where fetuses matter, but people who’ve already been born, not so much.

Suppose Turtle is so elated.

[quote]I had no idea how the Supreme Court in the US works

And you apparently still don't. She wanted to retire but was asked to stay on until someone equally as progressive could replace her. There was a deadlock in congress at the time. That would have been Hillary Clinton but Trump won instead and so all we could hope is that she would have lived a few more months.

Not an American here but is there any possibility for your new government next year to reverse that disastrous decision that shut down the Craiglist personal? My dick and ass collecting dust now since last year and the current pandemic only make it worse.

I miss lesbian BBQs where I can meet the latest lonely fat girl giving pussy a try.

[quote] My dick and ass collecting dust now since last year

Honey, they have been collecting dust long before that if your main source of sexual contact was from Crag's list. Get a smart phone and some hookup apps Gramps.

So if Ted Cruz is nominated, does it mean his senate seat becomes available immediately again? Will Dems try to flip it?

I’m sure it’s been said, but a Trump loaded Supreme Court is Barr’s and the GOP’s wet dream when it comes to deciding how votes can be counted. If 2000 is any guide, they could stop vote counting and support premature certification of state results easily.

We could be well and truly fucked.

VOTE.

Senate vacancies are filled by the governor R368. When is Cruz’s term up? I can’t remember the rules on when the appointed would then stand for election.

Interim appointment in Texas until special election. Texas has a weird system of determing date of the special election based on even and odd number years. Not worth doing the precise math. But a Republican in place immediately and no Democrat could most likely win a statewide election in Texas. Beto? That would be hawt.

[quote]Beto? That would be hawt.

"People I'd like to see get up from their Zoom and not have their pants on" for $2000, Alex.

Someone on MSNBC-- who? don't know I just got up--speculated that McConnell was likelier to try this after the election in a lame duck session, so the Senators could be out on the campaign trail now.

Polls Have Shown Voters Prefer Biden to Pick Next Justice

In surveys before Justice Ginsburg’s death, he led by a slightly wider margin on choosing the next justice than he did over all against President Trump.

Sept. 19, 2020

There’s no way to know exactly what will unfold, but a closer look at recent polls, including new New York Times/Siena College surveys, does provide reason to think that Joseph R. Biden Jr. might have as much — or more — upside on the issue than President Trump.

What voters say on picking the next judge

In Times/Siena polls of Maine, North Carolina and Arizona released Friday, voters preferred Mr. Biden to select the next Supreme Court justice by 12 percentage points, 53 percent to 41 percent. In each of the three states, Mr. Biden led by just a slightly wider margin on choosing the next justice than he did over all.

Similarly, a Fox News poll last week found that voters nationwide trusted Mr. Biden over Mr. Trump — by seven points — to nominate the next Supreme Court justice. Here again, Mr. Biden led by a slightly wider margin on this issue than he led Mr. Trump.

[quote]Dems need to be ruthless if they win, no more of this "well he's already a judge" BS. He's unqualified and everyone knows it and should be removed. Unfortunately, I doubt they will.

Removing Kavanaugh is a steep slope, you have to have a very strong case. Unfortunately, past rape allegations aren't easy to prove. They may try again for the blocked documents from his WH counsel’s office days. But it's a hill to climb.

If Moscow Mitch rams through another Trumpist on SCOTUS and the Dems manage to get the Senate and the Presidency against all GOP shenanigans -- The first thing the new Congress should do is vote statehood for DC and Puerto Rico , but why stop there, make all the territories into states. Get at least 4 more Dem senators in (hopefully PR's will both be Dems). This will pretty much sap the GOP Senate advantage. IF they secure the Senate in this way, the GOP may never be able to appoint a single judge without seeking Dem support.

Then stack SCOTUS to 11 or 13, and the rest of the courts as well.

And never stop repeating that Moscow MItch and the GOP Senate are abject thieves.

Love R371 and R372 for still bringing the giggles in this, our time of crisis.

“Polls Have Shown Voters Prefer Biden to Pick Next Justice“

Just my humble opinion but I don’t think the ReTHUGlican GOP really cares about what voters and the American people think or prefer. What a shit show mess 2020 has become. But I will continue to fight these slobs until Election Day comes. Don’t give up. Good things don’t come easy.

RBG was a self-important bore.

RIP

[quote]POLITICO reports that ActBlue has already raised $10 million in donations after McConnell's threat to replace RBG:

Yashar Ali says McConnell is "delighted" at this. "Make it $20 million and Mitch'll cry tears of joy."

Because there's not a chance in hell of Mitch losing his election and all the money Democrats waste on that campaign is money not sent to a Democratic candidate who actually has a chance of beating their Republican opponent.

R380, I think the Act Blue donations are for all Democratic Senate candidates, not just for the race to beat Mitch.

Thank you for setting me straight, R381. I was reacting to the "Get Mitch or Die Trying" campaign, but I see that even that divvies the funds between 13 Democrats. Good news!

They need to look at who paid off Kavanaugh’s debts, Follow the money.

Dems need to get the Senate!!!

Then go nuclear on Barr, MoscowMitch and DeVos. Additionally to Dump, these fuckers need to be held accountable for undermining constitution and rule of law.

This is not a situation where the country needs to heal by sweeping everything these nasty criminals did under the carpet. Not this time!!!

Ben Sasse is on the Senate Judiciary Committee and he hates Trump. Maybe he can try to roadblock Senatrice Graham in getting a nomination out of committee?

I literally thought, isn't Allen Ginsberg already dead?

And then I thought of Ginsberg on Mad Men.

Ah, the Notorious RBG!

They really need to put her face on money. You know, to give us hope.

But Harriet Tubman first, you hateful motherfuckers! That is something I want to see right away.

You're hysterical, R356. Breathe.

[quote]Dems under Schumer are weak as a limp noodle.

Dems need to nominate Amy Klobuchar for senate majority leader if the Senate (hopefully) switches blue. Women everywhere are fired up and Amy sure doesn't suffer fools.

The GOP will confirm their illegitimate justice. All we can hope is the new justice is not seated when deciding the case Trump brings after the election about “late” ballots and counting and deadlines. That’s all we have now.

If the election gives us the Democratic trifecta in Congress and the White House, the Senate Dem majority should immediately abolish the filibuster and expand the Supreme Court. Then vote statehood for DC, PR, and why not Guam too, and pack the Senate with Democrats for our lifetime.

Fuck right off r247. You ard and your Bros have fucked America big time.

The money raised should go to support candidates who can ctually win. The Democrats need to stop shooting themselves in the foot. The Kavanaugh mess resulted in the defeat of the Dem senator in ND who was forced to vote against his confirmation. She lost in conservative ND even with the millions raised for her by Act Blue. And Kavanaugh was confirmed anyway. There have to be some pragmatic pols left in the Democratic Party who can play the long game.

Yes vulnerable Dems lost the senate seats in 2018, but a lot more vulnerable Rs lost their seats in the house in suburban districts. There’s absolutely no evidence that this will help trump more than Biden. Quite the opposite actually. Democrats are petrified now. And not just dems but a lot of the far left Bernie bros who hate Biden. This will juice turn out for dems more than Rs.

However the game plan seems to have Trump vs. Biden in the Supreme Court and this could now change everything. But who knows. Just make sure you vote and get 10’other people to vote too

Senators Hawley, Cotton, and Cruz are on Trump's SC prospect list. All three, though, have presidential ambitions.

The Federalists are all about pro-corporate interests, the big banks, and the dismantling of financial and environmental regulations.

The anti-abortion shit is there to have political support and votes. The Federalists don't want the divide resolved. It's their most valuable wedge issue.

As a non-American, I have a (rather pointless) question: if Ginsburg had died between the election and the inauguration, would Trump still have been allowed to choose her replacement even if Biden had won?

R394, it’s a political question rather than a constitutional issue. If he can get 50 senators to vote for his justice, he is “allowed.” But we can use our votes to fucking make them pay.

If Biden and the DNC do not pull up their socks, like, NOW, we enter an age of American autocracy. The judiciary becomes a rubber stamp. The media will be silenced.

I just saw some legal expert on MSN say Democrats should not try to do any of those things like stacking the court if they win, it would be the end of the one part of government people trust as non political. Really? Fuck off and die you political hack! The court has been stacked for years, and while Democrats always try to meet Republicans half way, Rupugs ALWAYS push 100% far right. And their little bullshit game they played denying Obama his pick to even come up for a vote for 11 months? Bitch please, don't talk to us about how the courts are not political. That ship has sailed.

The Democratic party need to use every tool in the book to right this ship. If that means more judges or more territories then don't ask, just do it. And MSN, shut the F up with this kind of crap. You gave us Trump through daily appearance on Morning Joe when you thought he didn't have a chance and you wanted to "appear" unbiased. That chip on your shoulder needs to go.

R396 we are already passed the tipping point.

We passed the point of no return on November 8, 2016.

I meant “have” not “are” let me just say a preemptive “fuck you” to the grammar trolls

[quote] The judiciary becomes a rubber stamp.

That’s the goal for enlarging the SC, to have a compliant, rubber stamp court that will not interfere with anything that a Democratic Congress and President Biden will do.

Chuck Schumer is not the best at playing political chess with the Republicans. He strikes me as too much Manhattan and Wall Street.. Democrats have some more aggressive, articulate, and savvy Senators that need to be in leadership.

While McConnell is so disgusting, greedy, and power hungry, he is very clever at obstruction, manipulating the mechanics of the system, and generally getting his way. He often achieved such when the Republicans were in the minority in the Senate.

Is it considered a good thing or a bad thing for a Jewish person to die (or be born) on Rosh Hashanah?

Maybe there was nothing that could have been done, but I always felt that the fight for the Garland nomination was pretty passive if not non-existent.

I know this seems toothless on it's face, but Biden could make it a poisoned chalice.

He could ask, at the right moment, any illegitimate nomination (or confirmed appointment) to do the honourable thing and step aside as a matter of restoring principle and precedent and restoring the dignity of the court to the extent the Republicans and Trump have damaged it.

It would create a lot of pressure. It would taint that justice for the rest of the career if he or she stays. Now if you've got an impervious carpetbagger like William Barr, who is plainly using stupid Trump to advance his own agenda, it won't work. If there's a shred of decency in the nominee, and it's possible, it would be a difficult spot you're in.

Women want choice. A number of men want it for their daughters. There are a lot of people who vote Republicans who do it for tax policy, not in consideration of the rapture. There are a lot of buttons to push on this one but I think the culture war has definitely become a massive factor, so big it might be a turning point in the whole stupid thing.

R403, Absolutely. After losing for "A Star is Born", Hollywood should have awarded me the Oscar for "Judgment at Nuremberg".

[quote] He could ask, at the right moment, any illegitimate nomination

A nomination for the Supreme Court made by a president when there is a vacancy is legitimate, and required by the Constitution, so you want to rephrase that?

To be honest Ginsberg first got sick in 1999 Then had several recurrence of the disease in varying forms.

Why she didn’t do the safe thing and resign while Obama was in power I can’t understand.

She didn't resign because she wasn't the saint she is now portrayed to have been.

[quote] Women want choice. A number of men want it for their daughters.

Pass an amendment to the Constitution to protect abortion and never again worry about the court taking away a right that they created. People have had fifty years already to get that done.

This video is the Diana Scream for RBG's death.

LOL at the idea that Democrats are going to do a fucking thing about this other than a few sternly worded letters.

R29 if you didn't watch then you missed one of her best ever shows.

Your loss.

Just heard on MSNBC "If we don't fight now, there is no other fight to be had." That sums it up. Our country is on life support literally.

We are fighting at least four years too Late.

[quote] If people had voted to nominate someone who could have won against Trump (e.g. basically anyone), that person would be making the choice.

“People” did. Then other “people” either voted for Trump or a third party candidate because the nominee wasn’t Bernie Sanders.

I’m not convinced that this is some Hail Mary for Trump and now he can just happily campaign on filling the seat with some nutcase evangelical and POOF all his problems are gone.

Democrats and Biden need to GO HARD on this, if Trump announces his dream pick, Biden should do the same that very day and hammer the hypocrisy and zero principles of the Repugs, talk about court packing, etc.

BUT this election is still about the nearly 200k dead and dying everyday, the gross and very well criminal incompetence and corruption of this awful administration. The cruelty and hatred he displays toward our troops behind closed doors and the cruelty and hatred he transparently and proudly displays toward our very way of life.

The Orange Anus cannot take cover from that under the promise of a ramming through a new pick - we can’t and we won’t let him.

[Quote] Our country is on life support literally.

No. The country will survive. It just won't be a democracy any more.

I can't imagine the scramble right now on Biden's debate practice team.

Now, all other debate topics are gone.

I deliberately left out any mention of Trump's debate practice team. If it exists, even its members know they're performing meaningless roles.

This nomination will be the SECOND time the Democrats were robbed.

If Biden wins and we win the Senate and keep the House, we must expand the number of Supreme Court justices so we can nominate our own.

She's probably been dead several days and they waited until friday- the traditional day for dumping bad political news- to announce. They've done that with a lot of high profile political figures in the past.

Related- Joe Biden will not be making any public appearances today. How many days until he gets Covid and has to drop out?

Forgot to add: cautiously, I agree with r245.

I think this places Repugs in a more precarious election position than Dems, simply because most Americans want to retain Roe v. Wade as settled law and with racial strife, Covid-19, fires, hurricanes and the offensive spectacle of Trump, everybody, including (hell mostly) Repugs are fucking exhausted.

R414 is right. We missed our chance.

Maybe the bernie bros will distract us again and help trump get elected again.

I can just hear them now “Joe is not liberal enough for me”

More cringe.

[quote]Dems need to nominate Amy Klobuchar for senate majority leader if the Senate (hopefully) switches blue. Women everywhere are fired up and Amy sure doesn't suffer fools.

Amy would be so much more effective in that role.

I see them again on liberal instas I follow, r422, but it’s not anywhere like it was in 2016. They may be trollfarm wedge posts.

Even if Biden got Covid, he'd probably do fine because he's a slim, healthy older man. Trump who is an obese tub of lard really has to worry about getting Covid.

R405, if you wanna swap shoulda stories...

[quote]Amy would be so much more effective in that role.

Fuckin' right. You don't bring a smile to a stapler fight.

R426 They need an excuse to have him drop out, and that's the smartest one.

[quote]We are fighting at least four years too Late.

Bernie Sanders is ENTIRELY responsible for the shitshow this country is in right now. That horrible motherfucker cannot die soon enough.

I mean, who does that?

Democratic donations skyrocket in wake of RBG's death.

The two frontrunners for the SCOTUS nomination are devout Roman Catholics.

Just in time to whip Democrats into an anti-Catholic hysteria right before an election that will be decided by Latinos- who are 80% Catholic.

R433, Democrats don't get whipped up into "anti-Catholic hysteria."

Comey is the real Villain in this whole mess. When that attention whore threw out a nothing-burger right before the election, he fucked the nation. Even worse, he then went after trump without any ammunition. It was always about him. Typical civil servant.

Shut up r435

Thom Tillis, in a tough re-election in North Carolina where he has angered some conservatives and fended off primary challenges, makes his race a referendum on the Supreme Court. He commits to supporting Trump's nominee despite there not being one yet:

"There is a clear choice on the future of the Supreme Court between the well-qualified and conservative jurist President Trump will nominate and I will support, and the liberal activist Joe Biden will nominate and Cal Cunningham will support, who will legislate radical, left-wing policies from the bench."

Here's how it could go down, very quickly:

Senator McConnell: "We commend President Trump for nominating XXXX to the Supreme Court. In light of the urgency to fill the seat in this time of crisis, I am not holding hearings, which only lead to protracted and contentious debate that diminishes the American people's faith in our democracy. Instead, we will bring the nomination to the floor for a straight up or down vote tomorow at 11AM. The nominee's record can be found on Wikipedia for anybody who wants that information to advise and consent."

Democrats and liberals will be viewed by history as exceedingly arrogant, foolish, and lazy for not making the courts an energizing issue for their voters and base. Republicans have been super energized about the courts for decades now, yet Democrats have almost ignored it as an issue. So many people vote for Republicans solely based on the courts, yet so few do the same for Democrats. We should have made it an issue by 2016. We didn’t. We lost. We will Pay the direction consequences for the rest of this century.

The wind really is at the back of Republicans when it comes to Supreme Court appointments. It's depressing; George W. Bush got to appoint the Chief Justice, as well as one of the Court's most conservative members (Alito). Now, Donald fucking Trump of all people will have appointed 1/3 of the Justices when all is said and done.

Despite all the whining about fairness, an appointment will be made and there's nothing Democrats can do to stop it. I honestly think age is going to play a huge factor in this latest pick. Trump knows his prospects for November aren't looking great and he'll want to choose someone young to ensure his legacy lasts well into the future.

Just how many threads do you intend to post that on r439?

There’s something incredibly wrong with a country whose fate rested on the shoulders of an 87 year old woman who had cancer 5 times. America is a failed experiment.

I think it’s possible the Supreme Court fight might make it tougher for Democrats in swing states, especially North Carolina, Iowa, Ohio, Florida, ArizonA. And very tough for Democrats in red states such as SC, MT, KY.

R434 Kavanaugh.

Anything that changes the election from focusing on COVID helps Trump

Tillis is shrewdly using the culture wars over the courts to try to beat Cunningham. I think we will see that nationwide. It might bring a lot of suburban Repubs back to Trump and GOP candidates

R445 covid hasn’t gone away. It’ll leave the headlines for the next few days but we’re still losing over 1000 people a day and flu season is about to start. School children are going to start dying. And the economy is in shambles. None of that changes just because trump can scream about abortion for six weeks.

Garry Kasparov

When one group fights for power at all costs vs a group fighting for the rule of law, the second group had damned well better mobilize while it still can, because it only gets harder. Trust me on this one.

For all of you saying RBG should have retired while Obama was President, what makes you think McConnell wouldn't have pulled the same shit he did with Merrick Garland and refused to consider any Obama appointment? McConnell is an evil asshole and I put nothing beyond his evil mind.

Thanks, R395

well I agree r449, and of course nobody could imagine in 2008 that he would do what he ultimately did, but there was a window when Democrats had the White House and the Senate, although I think even then there was still the filibuster for Judges, so maybe he would have blocked it anyway. Not sure. Probably not because it would have been trading out one liberal and putting in another. It was a very different situation when Scalia died.

The democrats need to think real hard about adding judges. Since there is no limit to how many Supreme Court Justices there can be if a repub is elected president and has the majority in the senate he can stack the supreme court. It would be an endless vicious cycle.

We've added justices before, and we're probably due. I think Democrats could add two, if for no other reason than the shit they pulled with Merrick Garland.

[quote] The democrats need to think real hard about adding judges

Yes it sounds more and more like the hubris of Harry Reid when he killed the judicial filibuster forgetting republicans can win elections too. Get people used to the idea of democrats WILL pack the court means no cost to Trump if he wins and then then does the same thing.

They would need to add more than 2 to overcome the conservatives R453. We haven't raised the number since 1869 R453.

R203, it's not Roberts' court. The conservative activist majority for every opinion will now be 6-3, or if he sides with the liberals, 6-4. The Republicans don't need his vote anymore.

*or if he sides with the liberals, 5-4.

And sorry, R203, if you think your gay rights are safe, think again.

So the norms and protocols are broken. The Republicans, craven and shameless, have been moving against our traditions in the name of "tradition"... the past few years have clarified the problem. It's all about accruing as much power as possible to "win" the day....

The American Republic is dead. Now it's time to create the Second Republic. Yes, when "they go low, we go high", but we also grab as much power as possible under any guise... demographics and history are on our side. Win the Presidency. Win the Senate. Expand the Supreme Court. Let freedom ring.

"Win the Presidency. Win the Senate. Expand the Supreme Court. Let freedom ring."

Oh, brother, R459. What country do you live in? How are we going to expand the Supreme Court anytime soon? At least two of the conservative judges would have to die or retire sometime in the next four years for Democrats to get the SCOTUS back, and that's IF Biden is president. Yeah, it could happen. I doubt it.

R460, no one has to die; that's the point about expanding the Court. We need the Senate.

R460 You fail to understand our moment in history. The number of Justices is not in the Constitution - the Senate has the ability to increase the number.

Trump, MAGA, McConnell et. al. have crossed all the lines. The last four years have seen all norms and traditions trashed in terms of power and its exercise. Five years ago no one on earth could have thought that everything Trump has done and said would be remotely possible.

It's time to move on. It's time to grab power and use it for the right purposes. What country to I live in? Not the same one that existed a few years ago.

Abortion is a losing issue for Republicans. One of their stupider members will inevitably make some comment like “women can’t get pregnant from legitimate rape”, and it mobilizes women to vote them out of office...for a time.

McConnell got his revenge with the elevation of Brett Kavanaugh. He knows if he tries it again he'll face the democrats wrath. You know the dissing of Merrick Garland was payback for the democrats dissing of Robert Bork. Now it's the democrats turn again.

R462, I understand very well what this country is--a country in which 40% of the population still rabidly support an obvious criminal and murderer. As for what the Senate has the "ability" to do, shall we make a list of all the things it has the ability to do and won't do?

Yeah, Dump and Moscow Mitch have crossed the line--several times. And their defeat is far from assured. Sorry if I don't have the optimistic warrior outlook you have, but in my decades on this earth and as a citizen I have very little faith in the intelligence, integrity, or humanity of the American people. COVID has proved my point that Americans are too entitled and stupid to live.

What’s worse is if Trump gets re-elected, he will appoint even more justices. This could tragically be the Trump Court for a generation.

I would add this rosy outlook of a terrible, inevitable event (Ginsburg's passing) is, to my mind, gullible. It seems pretty obvious that they're going to ram through a horrible activist conservative's appointment in record time to steal the election--to take Dump's possible defeat to the SCOTUS, who will very easily overturn the legitimate election and hand him another four or even eight more years. After all, term limits can be changed by the Senate, right? Since they can change so many things?

Sorry to be a downer, but all that is a very real possibility. And her death just brought thst possibility that much closer.

Impeach Clarence Thomas. He votes right-wing and partisan on everything. Even Samuel Alito can be moderate once in awhile on something.

R468, what makes you think you can impeach a Supreme Court justice because of how he votes?

I am the last thing standing between you and the apocalypse...

R465 Understood . I'll also suggest that this "I have no faith... nothing can be done" is a kind of liberal defeatist mentality, fostered and maintained by living in a kind of privilege, which has let the Extreme Right Wind accrue power far beyond its demographic reach.

The world is different from a few years ago... the existential threats are not hypothetical, they are playing out in real time before us.

Time to move to take power. Trump will get his justice... he may get to take a "disputed election return" to a stacked Supreme Court. But that's only the next chapter.

Senatrice, predictably of course, reversed her stance.

All of these speculations on what Dems can do needed to be happent4 years ago. Just fucking vote.

Vote like your life depends on it because it actually does now. Get others ramped up too. It’s our LAST chance.

R471, you can say it's defeatest and privileged to have a pessimistic attitude about the state of the country. It could also be called pragmatic. Either way, Ginsburg's death contributes to my present dire feelings because of the horrible timing. Maybe things won't take the turn I see happening. I'm not predicting it. It would be pleasantly surprising to me if it doesn't get that bad (another benefit to having a dark attitude). But I seriously doubt Dump's criminality will catch up with him. He's far too protected at this point.

I think the Republicans' stunt of ramming through a confirmation will ensure Biden's win and a Dem Senate, because it will mobilize enough unmotivated voters to get off their asses. However, we are still fucked because of the conservative Court.

[quote] I am the last thing standing between you and the apocalypse...

Standing??

Reading twitter is depressing.

Opinions are like assholes...

It's hardly about having an opinion.

When you fall off the horse you get back up on it. I’m not going down without a fight. We’ve reached rock bottom but I’m not giving up. Don’t give up.

Basically, all we can do is vote. I certainly plan on doing that. A lot of people don't even do that. But voting isn't even enough, at this point.

This is basically an admission by Republicans that they know Trump is going to lose. Why not wait until after the election and avoid controversy if a Trump second-term is a sure-thing?

R482 the Repigs want you to think it’s not enough. It’s everything. If you want to do more, offer to drive those who cannot to the polls. Obviously fellow minded Democrats.

Btw, let me fix my spelling error. I meant "defeatist."

Quoting a hundred different tweeters is about having an opinion.

This is crazy defeatist talk!

Could her family or someone not have just propped her up in bed in a refrigerated bedroom and carried on as if she were alive and resting until sometime more safely on the other side of the election?

What if they hired some nurse to "do the deed?"

Those of you who are advocating impeachment of justices apparently slept through Trump’s impeachment earlier this year as well as your Constitution unit in 8th grade Social Studies class. You need 67 senators to vote to remove someone from office. Democrats aren’t going to have anywhere near that number in January, and the Republicans sure as hell aren’t going to help.

this will only confirm that there will be massive fraud in election.

Lots of rednecks will be voting at least twice so their gun rights don't get taken away etc.

the end is near...planet is dead...future is bleak.

To be quite real, this country has really been breaking my heart lately ... it feels at times so overwhelmingly and nonsensically cruel and unjust.. But yet I can’t bring myself to fully give up and give in though. I still love America. Please don’t give in to despair. Donate, organize, vote.

R288 They probably did, she was last seen publically months ago. Modern medicine is not magic, though.

She reportedly presided over a wedding in August. Here's a picture the bride posted (her social media has been locked down ever since:)

It's very simple - once we have a Democratic president and a Democratic Senate, and we've gotten rid of the filibuster, we have to add seats to the Supreme Court, and also to the federal judiciary as a whole (they're all overworked anyway).

All it requires is a majority vote in the Senate.

Wrap your heads around that NOW. There's no need to impeach anyone. Just add seats.

No Supreme Court can have credibility or legitimacy if its members were appointed by a President who lost the popular vote, and approved by members of the Senate representing 40% of the population. Adding seats isn't "packing the Court"; it's restoring the Court's legitimacy.

She's likely been dead for a little while, if the timing of the announcement feels targeted it's because of PR manoeuvring.

What disgustingly selfish behavior by the couple at R493.

Ruth was just out of the hospital, and should have been resting comfortably instead of being pressured to officiate a large event in a pandemic. She was just too kind to decline the invite.

I never expected the Senatrice to go against this for long. Bitch is in a very close election and needs every deplorable vote he can get.

Let's see if Concerned Collins and Lisa Murkowski can show some spine even if the former's reelection chances are dimming.

Grassley opposing this would be impressive and I doubt he's particularly afraid of McConnell.

It’s all over, except for the crying

R498 no it’s not over. Are you dead? No! Get your ass to the voting booth in Nov. We need you.

"OP, your illiteracy matches your hysteria."

The Senatrice is certainly one of the most vile creatures to crawl out of South Carolina swamp land.

However I find it hilarious and perhaps a bit telling he said he will be part of the resistance opposing the threat of a big evil liberal agenda.

Hmm... does that mean he knows his master is surely fucked in this election?

No Republican is going to vote against Trump's nomination, except maybe Romney. Even those who know they will win their states anyway won't want to risk being publicly bullied by the POTUS in front of the whole world. POTUS uses his twitter account and his speeches to bully, intimidate, and humiliate his opponents and anyone who challenges him. No one wants to be the target of elementary-school-style name-calling on one of the most watched twitter accounts in the world. No one dares defend the target or stand up against the bullying for fear of becoming a target themselves.

Lindsey is scared that guy is gonna out him! bwaaaahaaahaaaa

Lindsey is using the excuse "after the Kavanaugh hearing everything's changed". The fucking vile despicable piece of shit repubs are using the Kavanaugh hearing as yet another way to portray themselves the victims. They're acting like Democrats were being unfair and all those accusations against Kavanaugh were fake

I'd love nothing more than Graham's career to go down in flames and for Harrison to beat him but I doubt it. South Carolina is so damn red. I think Harrison will come very close but fall short like when O'Rourke challenged Cruz in 2018

R499, I voted yesterday dude

R497, Murkowski did not vote for Kavanaugh. No, I’m not sure what anyone else will do,but she has defied Trump.

R502, and that is the vile Genius of Trumpism. Opposing him will ruin you as a Republican. He has essentially had all his intraParty enemies eliminated

[quote]Lindsey is using the excuse "after the Kavanaugh hearing everything's changed". The fucking vile despicable piece of shit repubs are using the Kavanaugh hearing as yet another way to portray themselves the victims.

Thanks, R504! Now I know what I'm gonna use on Monday's show!

I have a problem with R495 and so many others. Too many others. They seem to all accept that 2016 was a legitimate, free and fair election. Yet so much evidence continues to be revealed that it was anything but.

I'm not just talking about the misinformation campaign and Comey's October surprise (just to mention two), I'm talking about evidence that voting machines in EVERY STATE were hacked. Not just the 21 first revealed by IG sources in 2017. It is why Trump has waged his campaign against the Post Office/mail-in voting, and is insistent that people HAVE to go to the polls. He knows Putin has the button to change the tallies, (it has to do with the touch screens, as well as other vulnerable technological areas). And because of the irreparable damage that has already been done, and the GOP representatives in certain areas that are deliberately still allowing, they are making it practically impossible for the mail voting system to work. People will be forced to literally risk their lives if they want to leave their houses and vote.

It also conveniently ties in to Trump still deliberately lying about the Covid number of deaths, brutality of the disease, and chances of getting it. Despite taped evidence of his own voice confirming he knew the risks and dangers, he continues to blatantly lie at his rallies. He lies about the number of deaths, the harshness of the disease, the long-term nasty effects, and each person's possibility of getting it. If supporters continue to think it's all "Fake", they'll go in person to the polls. SEE how it's all connected!

So back to R495 and others, no repairs have been implemented to our voting system. NONE! ..... quite the opposite....The Russians have improved their methods of infiltration. There is no way the results will be accurate. Not even close. Not with the people in charge.

Trump has already stated he will contest, 100%, when he loses because his losing is proof that our voting system is rigged! And we all know it is exactly the opposite. 180 degrees!! His "winning" is absolute proof that hacking successfully took place. Just like in 2016.

The Democrats have to come right out and say this. "IF DONALD TRUMP WINS, THAT HIS 100% PROOF POSITIVE VOTING WAS RIGGED!"

The election should just be canceled. Trump should be disqualified and Biden automatically made President. Yes, of course I know this is impossible. I'm not delusional. But violence and death is a certainty come November. WTF can we do to prevent this?

Ruthkanda Forever!

R509 here. I just want to see I mean no offense to R495 and others. Idealogically, I agree with you100%. I just want you all to get angrier and more purposeful. BEFORE the rigged results come out. It will be too late afterwards.

Agree 100% r509

Since the replacement is moving forward, as Americans, we should all hope at this point that the best jurist possible will be selected and confirmed.

She should have retired 8 years ago. Now we’re stuck in a mess thanks to her not knowing when to pass the torch.

R510's link is why Democrats can't win the White House or the Senate.

10 year-old girls can't vote. Twee and mawkish "woke" tweets don't do shit to win real political, legislative, and judicial power in 2020.

Howl

Biden has the ten year old Unitarian Universalist vote!

R513 Haha we won't.

The dead Scalia and his living son have political ideas I find repellent, but I appreciate the son's sharing again about how Ginsburg met her husband in college English class, and learning for the first time that the professor in that class was Vladimir Nabokov.

And how, improbably, Ginsburg and Scalia were such good friends, and their spouses to.

Ruthie is now in Opera Queen Heaven with Scalia. Her Martin, a tax lawyer, and Scalia and his Maureen used to spend a lot of time together. They were so collegial.

By the way, her favorite non-opera aria was Cole Porter's Tale of the Oyster.

R515, it was a pretty harmless post. Get some perspective.

[quote]The democrats need to think real hard about adding judges. Since there is no limit to how many Supreme Court Justices there can be if a repub is elected president and has the majority in the senate he can stack the supreme court. It would be an endless vicious cycle.

I call bull shit on that talking point that has been going around by the weak minded hand wringers.

There's a power grab going on by the Republican party and process doesn't matter when it comes to power. If the Democrats gain control of the presidency and the senate, they could and should add a few more ultra left liberal judges to balance out the ultra right. Then in a example of concern for the country to break the cycle, pass a constitutional amendment so no more judges could be added after that one time re-balancing of the court.

^^ Can't we just kill 'em??

Bottom line, Democrats respect the process, Republicans respect power. They plan on Democrats to play by the rules as they bend and break them for more power. Democrats need to stop bringing a butter knife to a gun fight. This is a power struggle, not a process one. The Republicans made this perfectly clear when they blocked the vote for 11 months of Merrick Garland when Obama has the constitutional right to put fourth his nominee.

Dems should stop using the words "stacking the court" and now call it a Re-Balancing which is what it actually would be. The stacking is what just happened under Trump.

define qualified, r513. He or she will be a cunt, we know that much, cause Trump, so what qualifications are you looking for?

sorry, should have said "best jurist." Best at getting Trump off of his crimes? Best at serving the rich exclusively? Best at fucking over minorities?

just not ready for the cutesie little stories yet, r519. Maybe next year, during a Biden Administration.

Go fuck yourself you idiot R522. Constitutional amendments are not easy to pass. Obviously you don't understand the process of a constitutional amendment. First off it takes years, but let me break it down for you. You need two thirds of both houses and then you need 3/4 of the states. Get back to me when you understand how our government works.

they should allocate SCOTUS seats to each state like the Senat but not equally but on proportional basis according to population size.

It would be very wise for democrats to show some real teeth once they get back the Senate. I think voters would love to see Dems being the ones who are the movers and shakers, take no prisoners, no holds barred.

This nice guy, we go high when they go low type of lethargy needs to end. People love a winner, not a wino.

Exactly R524!

Wow. Glenn Kirschner makes a really valid point about how Obama could've/should've handled the Merrick Garland situation - though, in practise, I'm not sure it would've worked because, technically, there is no constitutional deadline for when the Senate offers to "advise and consent" on a President's Supreme Court appointment.

Kirschner suggests that Obama should've just said, "Well, okay then. If the Senate is waiving their constitutional right to advise and consent, I hereby appoint Merrick Garland to the court," and left it to McConnell to take his administration to court and argue his bullshit about how after the third year of a President's term, they are no longer allowed to make appointments to the court. It's certainly exactly what a Republican president would've done if the tables were turned.

[quote]Go fuck yourself you idiot [R522]. Constitutional amendments are not easy to pass.

Where there is a will there is a way. Get off your high horse.

opinions are like assholes...

Your ignorance is off putting R534. Get off your fucking stupidity.

Collins supposedly just announced she will not vote until after January.

They probably let her be one of the ones to not vote, giving her cover.

Where did she say that? People are putting words in her mouth. Link Please.

Who knew that if the democrats have a will there is a way for them to get 2/3's of both houses and 3/4's of the states they will be able to change the constitution R534. You should call the senators and let them know your brilliant idea that they just need to have a will.

The "Xtians" are celebrating RBG's death. These people make me sick.

Correction, she says she opposes it, in her statement released within the past hour or so. She didn't say she wouldn't.

R539, ego is butt hurt. Get over it Gramps. These are not normal times. Look at how many laws Trump and the Republicans have broken so far. And you are trying to argue about process? News Flash it's 2020 not 1920. All bets are off. It's time for Dems to fight fire with fire.

R531 Well, there might be something positive in this... I absolutely sense a new willingness in the Center, Center-Left, and Left that they've been had, that lines have not just been crossed but rather obliterated... and that everything is on the table now. Now qualms at all about voting to increase the Court with 2 or even 4 Justices, and pack it.

It's no longer about guardrails, it's about grabbing the wheel and diving this sucker in the right direction.

EXATLY r541. She is playing word games again. Now instead of "concern" the new word is "oppose" but that doesn't mean she still wont vote for it like she always does.

Opposed is the new Concern.

You are so stupid R542. You don't even know what the fuck you are talking about.

R543, the problem is Democrats should have realized this in 2009 when the Tea Party was rioting over Obama

Little Susie's statement.

Well Collins says a lot of things at the moment, but somehow always manages to do the opposite R547.

There's a 3% chance she's doing this and will stick with it because of her own possible loss coming in the near future.

However, as other people keep pointing out the woman says one thing and does another. I do not trust her at all.

His pick will be Barbra Lagoa and she will be confirmed unfortunately.

Her statement never addresses the lame duck presidency. That's where the lie is. Republicans and Moscow Mitch don't care whether they get their judge before of after the election as long as it happens before Trump leaves office.

You thought your rights mattered? Fools.

I have no faith that Democrats and liberals are politically competent to meet this massive threat. Republicans are ruthless, focused, United, and will do anything to secure more power. I think this will energize Trump’s rabid base even more.

dems are wussies.

Harry Enten:

We're going to have to see how things look when the dust clears... but Unlike 2016, polling this year suggests Democrats more motivated by Supreme Court than Republicans... I just think it's a totally different ballgame we're looking at.

He’s far too optimistic

twitter opinion...

Who knows... maybe a few Republicans will step up to the plate and remember what love for one's country actually means. I believe it's possible, and I hope these few find the strength to do what's right.

It’s extremely unlikely

Sometimes you can’t recover from losing. 2016 is such a situation

[quote]Dems should stop using the words "stacking the court" and now call it a Re-Balancing which is what it actually would be.

How do you sell "re-balancing" when all of the Court's credibility rests upon it being officially non-partisan? Remember Roberts claiming that there is no just thing as "Obama judges" and the media all supporting that statement? Are you going to officially make it a partisan body?

it is unofficially a partisan body, as they made so very clear in 2000 r561. Let's all drop the pretense.

It already is a partisan body. Look at how the far right judges on there have voted on the last 4 years. Straight party line, or close to it with one or two exception.

if they are forced to r558. There should be extreme pressure on the few Republicans who just might give a shit about actually doing their jobs. Collins especially. But also Murkowski and Romney and anyone else who comes close to having a shred of decency. There should be large and angry demonstrations around them.

[quote]How do you sell "re-balancing" when all of the Court's credibility rests upon it being officially non-partisan?

That's the point of re-balancing. Not stacking. Equal views from equal sides, debate the issues.

well, r540, let you in on a little secret, the average Xtian is a complete cunt. Sad, but true.

Apparently it is now between Amy Coney Barrett and Barbara Lagoa. I think Lagoa would be a smart election choice by Trump. I expect her to get it in the end even though Mitch is pushing Barrett.

who's the bigger cunt r567? Is it just that Lagoa has the ole "hispanic surname" or is she actually anything other than your typical Republican piece of shit that always supports the rich and white supremacy?

Susan Collins didn't have to say anything at all, but I guess she's not willing to *fully* sacrifice her career at the alter of Dump & McConnell. Chuck Grassley came out with a similar statement. Of course cunts like Lady G and that woman in Arizona are going to support moving forward with this, but I do think it's telling that some high profile senators broke with Dump/McConnell right away. That gives air cover to others who might be on the fence (for whatever reason) to similarly push it off.

[quote]Dems should stop using the words "stacking the court" and now call it a Re-Balancing which is what it actually would be. The stacking is what just happened under Trump.

Michael Beschloss, the Presidential historian, basically said the same thing this morning on MSNBC. He said "stacking the court" is a bit off-putting and we should say "court reform" instead.

R568, well Lagoa got 80 senators vote the last time she went through confirmation, meaning lots of Dems didnt mind her. She is not a right wing nutjob like Barrett (appears to be moderate) and would be a pick hard to object by Dems. It appears Trump really wants her as he feels that would boost his Latino credentials in Florida. She is Cuban.

I find i care less and less each day about what the prim and prissy both sides do it media think about marketing strategies r570

oh everyone gets a million votes when they are in some low level slot r571. And of course, she's Cuban. Of fucking course. The Hispanics who can always be counted on to fuck over every other Hispanic group in this country, as well as any other group but rich white assholes on Wall Street.

If Trump picks someone we know two things right off the bat: they are corrupt as all fuck and can be counted on to save him from any and all consequences for his grifting and treason. And second, they are an asshole who plays into some stupid wingnut religious or conspiratorial beliefs.

R571, there's nothing about Lagoa that says "moderate." Barrett has been too outspoken, I think; Lagoa -- a DeSantis protege! -- is probably a more typical conservative mediocrity.

R571, there's nothing about Lagoa that says "moderate." Barrett has been too outspoken, I think; Lagoa -- a DeSantis protege! -- is probably a more typical conservative mediocrity.

what is wrong with all you elder gheys posting twice?

Trump is going to pick someone he feels would be guaranteed to stand by him should the election have to be decided by the Supreme Court.

[quote]maybe a few Republicans will step up to the plate and remember what love for one's country actually means.

for the novelty, if nothing else.

Of those two women, he's going to pick the one he'd rather fuck.

It's a regular DL glitch, R577.

Lagoa is a good compromise pick to get both Democratic and Republican votes before the election.

oh you don't actually know shit about her r582. You're just being a good bot.

what's her stance on gay marriage? Roe v Wade? police procedures and the ancient police right of wilding on black people whenever they feel like it? and the real one: presidential immunity to all prosecution for whatever reason at any time?

R582 She compared two men marrying to a man marrying a dog.

Barrett will be easy pray for Dems in the televised hearings. She will be torn apart by the likes of Kamala. Lagoa will make that job difficult.

You're totally talking out your ass r586. You don't know shit. You just want to say something good about Trump. Don't bother. Wrong place, wrong year.

Glitch for you.

Trumpeters right now on Fox chanting during Trumps speech "fill that seat, fill that seat!"

UHGGGGG!

He's too busy filling his depends right now.

Lagoa got 80 votes in the Senate before, so apparently there is nothing that anyone from either party finds offensive or disqualifying.

uh huh, yeah, that never happens. once you're on a court there are never ever any objections to your being on the Supreme Court. Never, ever.

[quote]Lagoa is a good compromise pick to get both Democratic and Republican votes before the election.

You mean in the Senate confirmation? No Dem Senator should give votes to whoever the Trump pick is.

Just what we need, a deporable Karen from Florida to be the nest supreme court judge. Gee, what could go wrong.

Lagoa, if she's nominated, will turn out to be a thoroughly corrupt asshole. Do we even need to pretend otherwise?

She's an extremist, Democrats would not find her a good comprises, what are you smoking?

R345, not if Trump sends federal troops into the blue states. He did it with Oregon and if he gets another 4 years, he'll spend more time dispatching them as his private army.

Yes, I'm sure she's a wonderful compromise between QAnon and NeoNazi.

R598, you win the thread.

Dahlia Lithwick

R533, I really like Glenn Kirschner's comments about Garland. And Kirschner did not criticize Obama, but I will, to some degree. I think he may have made a mistake by not adopting Glenn's approach and appointing him anyway, forcing McConnell into court. The only reason I'm not convinced that he definitely made a mistake is that I believe he may have been trying to avoid a war started by white nationalists and far right extremists. Short of that, I think he made a major mistake letting McConnell get away with it. I believe had Obama gained another decade of experience before becoming President, he would have been confident taking action that forced McConnell's hand.

R533, I really like Glenn Kirschner's comments about Garland. And Kirschner did not criticize Obama, but I will, to some degree. I think he may have made a mistake by not adopting Glenn's approach and appointing him anyway, forcing McConnell into court. The only reason I'm not convinced that he definitely made a mistake is that I believe he may have been trying to avoid a war started by white nationalists and far right extremists. Short of that, I think he made a major mistake letting McConnell get away with it. I believe had Obama gained another decade of experience before becoming President, he would have been confident taking action that forced McConnell's hand.

Jesus, some of you are either Republicans or the kind of pathetic timid Democrats who keep fucking us over in Washington. Lagoa got 80 votes so she can’t be opposed by Democrats who once voted for her? WTF?!? You know who got confirmed by a Republican Senate with 76 votes (with the “no” votes all saying they didn’t find anything objectionable about the nominee but were voting no because they didn’t want to fill the seat on the DC circuit court)? Merrick Fucking Garland, that’s who. If Orrin Hatch can refuse to even meet with Garland after voting for him and praising him as basically the best federal judge ever appointed by a Democrat, then every one of those fucking Democrats who voted for Lagoa can do the same thing. Soooo sick of Democrats playing by different rules than Republicans.

[quote] Susan Collins didn't have to say anything at all, but I guess she's not willing to *fully* sacrifice her career at the alter of Dump & McConnell.

Her career is over. She's going to lose her seat in November. Thus, she really has no reason to refrain from voting on a nominee, but I still don't trust that she won't perversely decide to do McConnell's bidding.