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pnwmom

(109,025 posts)

59. The difference is that Ruth Bader Ginsburg had a singular power that wasn't available

Sun Sep 5, 2021, 08:20 PM

Sep 2021

to the rest of us. If she had retired as soon as she safely could, as soon as Obama was elected, then he would have been able to replace her. And she KNEW that just a few years earlier, in 2009, she'd had a form of cancer with a low life expectancy.

Yes, all Democrats collectively could have somehow worked to keep the Senate majority, but none of us had the individual power that she did.

"The five-year survival rate for all stages of pancreatic cancer is 9 percent." That means for all patients diagnosed in 2009, as she was, there was a 9% chance of surviving till 2014.

https://www.healthline.com/health/pancreatic-cancer#life-expectancy

And yet she decided to take her chances. And now here we are, with the TX decision decided by a 5-4 vote.

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For those claiming "we wouldn't be in this mess if RBG had retired under Obama," consider this: [View all] StarfishSaver Sep 2021 OP

I place zero blame on RBG. Elessar Zappa Sep 2021 #1

Certainly don't blame RBG. Lucky we had her. Those who helped elect trump deserve the blame. Hoyt Sep 2021 #2

Fuck that RBG shit Alpeduez21 Sep 2021 #3

Understood... wyn borkins Sep 2021 #4

Thank you! And thank RBG. niyad Sep 2021 #5

While I don't blame RBG for not retiring before 2014... Rollo Sep 2021 #6

"even with a Republican majority Senate, Obama could have appointed a moderate like John Roberts" StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #9

And THAT, Starfish, is facing TRUTH! MyOwnPeace Sep 2021 #40

Not retiring is overated. If you're ok financially and it doesn't negatively... brush Sep 2021 #10

Rollo, why are you describing the man who gutted the Voting Rights Act as a moderate? irisblue Sep 2021 #21

Thank you. sheshe2 Sep 2021 #7

RBG almost made it. If Repukes had followed their own rule, Biden would have replaced her. LakeArenal Sep 2021 #8

That really sucks Mad_Machine76 Sep 2021 #67

You are correct about people sitting out 2016. RBG wanted the Hillary, the first female president Dream Girl Sep 2021 #11

RBG in 2012 was not frail, she was extremely strong and StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #13

RBG shoulders some of the blame. Drunken Irishman Sep 2021 #12

Continuing to ignore the substantial role Democratic voters played in shaping the current SCt StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #14

Democratic voters DID deliver RBG an out in 2012 by reelecting Obama & keeping control of Senate Drunken Irishman Sep 2021 #22

Drunk, I Know What You're Saying COL Mustard Sep 2021 #26

I hope Breyer doesn't take to heart some of the arguments used her to defend RBG. Drunken Irishman Sep 2021 #89

Oh, please. StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #29

The difference is that Ruth Bader Ginsburg had a singular power that wasn't available pnwmom Sep 2021 #59

Seriously? StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #62

None of us AS INDIVIDUALS had the power to influence the composition of the SCOTUS pnwmom Sep 2021 #66

Maybe we should start calling on Sotomayor to retire now, too StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #71

Ginsburg's pancreatic cancer made her health much more precarious, and she was 10 years older. pnwmom Sep 2021 #75

I agree with your pushback replies on this subject nt Celerity Sep 2021 #76

This nt XanaDUer2 Sep 2021 #78

You are 100% right! Drunken Irishman Sep 2021 #93

Oh please. Drunken Irishman Sep 2021 #88

But she didn't retire in 2013 StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #92

Never said it was all her fault. Drunken Irishman Sep 2021 #94

WE did what we could, but SHE didn't do what she could. pnwmom Sep 2021 #95

The Justices are not responsible for ensuring a like-minded replacement. NH Ethylene Sep 2021 #16

Thank you SO much for this! StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #20

But If I Chose To Stay In My Job COL Mustard Sep 2021 #37

It's abhorrent for these people, whose choices impact an entire nation... Drunken Irishman Sep 2021 #24

Your point might make sense if RBG not retiring was the final nail in the coffin. But it wasn't StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #31

When it comes to Roe? Absolutely it is. Drunken Irishman Sep 2021 #90

She did her utmost to keep serving, even as she was dying! And you call her selfish. NH Ethylene Sep 2021 #36

So true! StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #41

Pancreatic cancer has a 9% 5-yr survival rate. Doremus Sep 2021 #80

Agreed. And that was on top of her fighting colon cancer a decade before. Drunken Irishman Sep 2021 #91

I have not seen those criticisms on here left-of-center2012 Sep 2021 #15

I haven't seen any either. gab13by13 Sep 2021 #17

It's a frequent refrain StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #19

I also see it said aloud frequently by progressives/leftists (outside of DU) Mad_Machine76 Sep 2021 #69

I assume your question has been answered ... StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #65

You're so right, StarfishSaver! littlemissmartypants Sep 2021 #18

Blame is useless and pointless. bronxiteforever Sep 2021 #23

In my view she undoubtedly believed her health would hold up long enough. iwannaknow Sep 2021 #25

True - she might also have had greater faith in Democratic voters than many deserved. StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #35

Gambled and lost. Bummer right? Tell that to women Texas. Nt JanMichael Sep 2021 #42

Her "gamble" didn't pay off because Democratic voters didn't do their part StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #47

Always someone else's fault I guess. Nader or Sarandon etc. JanMichael Sep 2021 #49

There's a difference between "acknowledging the fault of our heroes" and claiming that RBG "caused StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #52

I never said she caused the mess, Just a gamble and a BIG loss. JanMichael Sep 2021 #58

Her biggest gamble was trusting Democratic voters not to be selfish whiners who didn't give a damn StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #60

The only person that could control replacing RPG is RBG quitting. JanMichael Sep 2021 #70

Voters "couldn't make her quit," but they surely could have ensured that her replacement was StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #73

she could have easily prevented it, by stepping down sciencescience Sep 2021 #27

No, she couldn't. ismnotwasm Sep 2021 #28

Yes, she could have. She'd had pancreatic cancer, an extremely serious cancer, in 2009. pnwmom Sep 2021 #54

She took a chance. And then the VOTERS took a chance - several, in fact - long after she did StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #57

But millions of voters only had a tiny percent of a chance to influence the outcome of the elections pnwmom Sep 2021 #61

She didn't use that power you claim she had in 2012 StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #64

Are you claiming there's a doubt she had that power between 2012 and 2014? pnwmom Sep 2021 #74

And then, seeing she hadn't stepped down, Democratic voters could have stepped up to make sure StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #51

McTurtle is the only one to blame, he even went on GOPIV & bragged about it. nt yaesu Sep 2021 #30

Why blame McConnell for any of this StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #33

I Blame Breyer Too OhioTim Sep 2021 #32

Blaming him for what? StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #34

The window actually was literally any time between January 2009 and January 2015. ColinC Sep 2021 #38

The window was exactly as I described it. StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #43

two justices retired the first years of Obama's term. ColinC Sep 2021 #82

If the point of retiring is to let a president appoint a justice of his party, yes, I am saying that StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #84

Of course If they didn't do that, we would likely have an 8-1 conservative majority ColinC Sep 2021 #85

Do you ever post ANYTHING not designed to create internecine turmoil? 11 Bravo Sep 2021 #39

Interesting that you believe a thoughtful post explaining why one of our greatest heroes should not StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #44

First, look up "internecine". 11 Bravo Sep 2021 #45

Thank you. It's such an old, old trick to place blame on one woman's shoulders... Hekate Sep 2021 #46

And that "blame the woman" tactic is not limited to Republicans StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #48

put blame where it belongs , these arm chair politicians all of us ! monkeyman1 Sep 2021 #50

You have forgotten that she had 2 types of cancer. And the second was in 2009, pnwmom Sep 2021 #53

I haven't forgotten anything StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #56

Your post only said she'd had cancer ONCE. She'd had two types of cancer, pnwmom Sep 2021 #77

I said her previous cancer StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #81

Previous cancer isn't the same as previous cancerS. She was at higher risk than someone pnwmom Sep 2021 #86

Ok. Whatever. StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #87

voter suppression also played a role admonish Sep 2021 #55

I have not been a fan of this RBG bashing Mad_Machine76 Sep 2021 #63

I don't blame her. Snackshack Sep 2021 #68

I agree with everything you wrote except "Dems let him do it with little more than Collins concern" StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #72

Thank you for being the voice of sanity, StarfishSaver. crickets Sep 2021 #79

Apparently, it's all her fault StarfishSaver Sep 2021 #83