While watching Nicolle Wallace just now, I was reminded that when we lost Thurgood

[Atticus]

Marshall we got Clarence Thomas and when we lost Ruth Bader Ginzburg we got Amy Cody Barrett.

It---is---to---weep.

[brush]

1. Absolutely. Not a fair exchange. Not even close.

[brooklynite]

2. In both cases, they stayed on longer than they should have.

Carter is the only President in decades who never appointed a SC Justice.

[brush]

4. Maybe so. Kennedy stepped down, but not over illness.

There's a cloud over it.

[Rebl2]

6. Always will be

Made a deal with the devil tfg I think.

[pnwmom]

5. RBG undid her own legacy by refusing to retire in Obama's first couple years. nt

[DeeDeeNY]

11. She was so sure that Hillary would win in 2016

She wanted her replacement appointed by a woman president. It was a bad miscalculation.

"Ginsburg continued to sit on the court through 2016 in part because she did not believe President Trump would win the election, Jane told The New York Times."

https://www.dailywire.com/news/ruth-bader-ginsburg-didnt-retire-because-she-wanted-hillary-clinton-to-name-her-successor-daughter-says

[housecat]

12. I admired her until her own ego and vanity caused a fatal mistake

[Just A Box Of Rain]

19. Wow!

[onenote]

21. I'd argue that Marshall stepped down too soon.

He was appointed in 1967 at the age of 59. From 1969 through 1976, the Republicans held the White House. When Carter was elected, Marshall had been on the Court for only 9 years and he was only 68 years old. Even at the end of Carter's term, 1980, Marshall was only 72, younger than William Brennan (and with less time on the Court). Sadly, Marshall retired in October 1991, allowing Bush to name his successor. If he had stayed on the Court until he died less than 18 months later in January 1993, Clinton would have filled the vacancy not Thomas.

[malaise]

3. Speaks volumes

Farce for substance

[spooky3]

7. And shit for brains nt

[GB_RN]

8. For The Record...

Justice Marshall retired in October, 1991; he did not die while on the bench. He died two years later in January, 1993.

While the OP didn’t say so, it seemed implied that Marshall died while serving, like RBG did. This absolutely was not the case. We just had the misfortune to have Daddy Bush nominate Clarence “Uncle Slappy” Thomas to fill shoes (robes?) he was never qualified to even hold, much less wear.

[CharleyDog]

9. and after Obama we got Tromp

backlash

every time

We have to plan for than in order to circumvent it

[Joinfortmill]

10. Yikes!

[Lonestarblue]

13. From the pinnacle of excellent jurisprudence to the depths of partisan favor and religious zealotry.

Quite a fall and a big reason few people trust or admire the Supreme Court now. They have become an extension of Republican dogma and in the case of Alito pure historical quackery. I really want to see a Democratic administration and Congress that will put four more justices on the bench to balance the right-wing religious zealots. We need to protect the concept and the Constitutional separation of church and state.

[Evolve Dammit]

14. Yes, we have taken huge steps back to darker times.

[housecat]

15. We dropped the ball when we allowed those two fascist-wannabe monsters to have power. Obama was too

timid and polite when he allowed Moscow Mitch to block Garland (who IMO would be better on the Court than where he is now.)

[Hermit-The-Prog]

16. How did Obama "allow" Moscow Mitch to block Garland?

The Senate has to confirm nominations. Unless Obama had some leverage, all he could do is point to the obstruction and hope the public made McConnell uncomfortable enough to act.

[housecat]

17. I understood that during the lame duck minutes he coiuld have slipped him in

[Hermit-The-Prog]

18. I don't know how that would be possible.

[housecat]

20. I believe the plan was to appoint Garland during the lame duck, but when the republicans

found out, they stayed in enough numbers to block the vote