Tributes Are Pouring In For Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Who Has Passed At 87
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a trailblazing figure in the feminist movement and a Supreme Court Justice, passed away on Friday after a fight with pancreatic cancer. She was 87.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1993 by then-President Bill Clinton. She was only the second ever female justice appointed to the court, and became known for her advocacy work in gender rights.
In recent years, for American liberals in the age of Trump, Ruth Bader Ginsburg — or RBG — had become something of a heroic figure. She was outspoken against the President, calling this epoch in history an “aberration.”
As a result, in the hours since her death was announced, tributes have poured in from across social media, praising her glass ceiling-shattering work.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a true giant, an American hero and a warrior for justice. Our country mourns her loss deeply—we must honor her by carrying on her legacy of fairness and equality.
— Sen. Cory Booker (@SenBooker) September 19, 2020
There are people who have an outsized impact on this world.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was such a person.
Her unwavering commitment to justice for all is her living legacy.
Rest In Peace.
— James E. Clyburn (@WhipClyburn) September 19, 2020
The passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a tremendous loss to our country. She was an extraordinary champion of justice and equal rights, and will be remembered as one of the great justices in modern American history.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) September 19, 2020
America lost a giant. Ruth Bader Ginsburg was shunned from courtrooms when she began her career because she was a woman.
But she persisted, blazing a trail for millions of women and others who had been excluded or oppressed.
RBG is a lioness of the law. She is irreplaceable.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) September 19, 2020
My friends, the great "Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second woman to serve on the US Supreme Court and its most determined advocate for gender equality, has died at the age of 87. She had endured multiple bouts of cancer before succumbing to the disease." There are no words.
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) September 19, 2020
Quite simply, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a giant.
My condolences go out to the Ginsburg family, the Court, and the over 300 million Americans who benefit from the more perfect union she brought about. pic.twitter.com/nCqAzRnhKE— Tim Kaine (@timkaine) September 19, 2020
However, Ginsburg’s passing has also been met with something like fear from liberals, due to the set-up of The Supreme Court. Let’s dive into why.
What Will The Death Of Ginsburg Mean For The Trump Administration?
The set-up of the Supreme Court means that sitting Presidents appoint justices. These justices then stay in the court until they pass away, or retire. That means that appointing a justice is one of the most long-standing differences that a President can make to the shape of the country — a justice will continue making changes long after the President has served even their maximal two terms.
Indeed, for this very reason, Ginsburg was criticised for not standing down during the Obama administration despite her advanced age and health scares.
As a result of the power of an empty seat, Trump now has a lot of reasons to try and immediately appoint Ginsburg’s successor. Ginsburg herself foresaw this, and released via her granddaughter a statement — “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.”
But it is unlikely that Trump will honour such a wish. It seems inevitable that Trump will push for a republican replacement, shifting the Supreme Court red, and adding extra pressure and chaos to an already divided election year.