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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDahlia Lithwick: Start Scaring Republicans About Ginsburg Replacement Now
https://crooksandliars.com/2020/09/dahlia-lithwick-start-scaring-republicans9/19/20 12:38pm
Dahlia Lithwick: Start Scaring Republicans About Ginsburg Replacement Now
Slates Dahlia Lithwick urged Democrats to immediately threaten changes to the Supreme Court if Republicans try to ram through a conservative replacement for Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
By NewsHound Ellen
Video @ link~
Slates Dahlia Lithwick urged Democrats to immediately threaten changes to the Supreme Court if Republicans try to ram through a conservative replacement for Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
On AM Joy this morning, Lithwick and Joy Reid discussed the battle ahead over Ginsburgs seat on the Supreme Court. Reid played a clip of Joe Biden saying Republicans should adopt the same stance now they took in 2016 when they blocked President Barack Obamas nominee because it was 10 months before a presidential election.
Of course, we know that Republicans care more about power than democracy. And Democrats too often get steamrolled.
But there are glimmers of hope. Noting that Senate Democrats would hold a conference call today to strategize, Reid spoke pointedly about possible tactics, as she quoted a HuffPost article:
Lithwick agreed that gloves must come off now.
So, I think its exactly right that this framing that the courts just belong to the conservative movement, they belong to the Federalist society because they bought em and they're there that has to really, I think now be debunked, and the way to debunk it is to scare them.
And so you're quite right. In this one sense only, I disagree with Senator Klobuchar. I don't think we take it off the table. I don't think we say wait and see what happens and then we talk about structural reforms whether it's court packing, whether it's doing away with lifetime tenure, whether it's any number of constitutional reforms that are being floated.
I think we have to say right here, right now, we are going to make you feel the hurt if you continue to treat the court as though it's yours. And I agree with you completely. I think the notion that it is too early to start scaring them with that kind of language is exactly how we got into trouble in 2016.
EarnestPutz
(2,120 posts)....no more conceit that appointees to the Supreme Court should be apolitical, just calling "balls and strikes".
dubyadiprecession
(5,706 posts)We need to start persuading our elderly Justices to retire during democratic presidencies. Hoping for the best with RGBs health, didnt work.
We now have a crisis to deal with.
dpibel
(2,831 posts)The Constitution mandates life terms for all federal judges.
But you can change the number of justices without amending the Constitution.
Also: I don't think the gamble was on RBG's health holding out for another four years. The gamble was that Trump wouldn't be installed as president.
And when we engage in woulda, coulda, shoulda, I'd point out that, had Ginsburg retired in Obama's last year in office, she would have already known McConnell would hold up her replacement. So there's that.