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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#111876: Feb 13th 2016 at 1:56:18 PM

Because she has the nerve to run for president. It's a smear tactic. They've practically admitted to this.

Keybreak Since: Apr, 2010
#111878: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:00:01 PM

Whoa. surprised I never agreed with most of his judgments, but I wouldn't have wanted him to die so suddenly.

edited 13th Feb '16 2:00:20 PM by Keybreak

Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#111879: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:00:15 PM

Whoa. That's a shock.

[up]The article says he died of natural causes.

edited 13th Feb '16 2:01:03 PM by Kostya

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#111880: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:01:08 PM

Other sources? Wikipedia's page is only half updated I see.

I think you can brace yourselves for a fight in front of the Senate on the succession if this is true.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
FFShinra Since: Jan, 2001
darksidevoid Anti-Gnosis Weapon from The Frontiers (Ancient one) Relationship Status: Robosexual
Anti-Gnosis Weapon
#111882: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:03:49 PM

Holy shit.

GM of AGOG S4: Frontiers RP; Sub-GM of TABA, SOTR, & UUA RPs
kkhohoho Since: May, 2011
#111883: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:05:03 PM

Can someone tell me just how this is a big deal? Because if he died from natural causes, than I don't see how this would be an issue.

tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#111884: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:06:00 PM

From the office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Scalia's death.

[up] It's due to being:

  • A death of a conservative Justice.
  • During an election year were partisan politics are ramped up

edited 13th Feb '16 2:07:02 PM by tclittle

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#111885: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:06:40 PM

Because now he has to be replaced, by an Obama nominee that has to be approved by the Senate. What's the longest a seat has sat empty because the senate wouldn't approve the president's choice? Because this could easily be ragged on unti we've got a new Senate.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Ekuran Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
#111886: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:06:44 PM

Ah, there it is, the weird feeling of juxtaposition I get when someone's death will actually lead to a better world but it's still a horrible waste of human life. That's always fun.

And of course it happens during an election year.

Hopefully Obama can get someone on the Supreme Court by next year, just in case.

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#111887: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:07:10 PM

It's an issue because it means Obama will have to nominate a replacement now. And while Scalia is a hard right winger, Obama is left wing and his nominated replacement will likely swing the court to the left if approved by the Senate.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
SolipsistOwl Since: Jan, 2016
#111888: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:07:49 PM

Media is already suggesting Congress may postpone a new SCOTUS appointment until after the November election.

PotatoesRock Since: Oct, 2012
#111890: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:09:45 PM

Can someone tell me just how this is a big deal? Because if he died from natural causes, than I don't see how this would be an issue.
He was one of the five conservative Justices who heavily backed a lot of pro-business, anti-labor, anti-women, anti-secularist, pro-conservative positions. He was also one of the most notoriously conservative justices on the court.

If Obama can get in even a Centrist Judge past the Senate, this basically flips the court to Centrist/Left rulings instead of some of the quackier Right Wing positions like with Hobby Lobby.

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#111891: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:10:00 PM

Keep in mind that without Scalia, the court will already be swung left (decisions that would go 5-4 in favour of the right wing side will now deadlock instead, such as campaign financing decisions) so holding up a replacement will not help the Republicans much.

Also: Do we need to immediately talk about this in terms of how it favours a political side?

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
darksidevoid Anti-Gnosis Weapon from The Frontiers (Ancient one) Relationship Status: Robosexual
Anti-Gnosis Weapon
#111892: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:10:01 PM

@KK+: One, he wasn't expected to die, as he seemed in good health. Two, he's a Supreme Court Justice, and he's dead, meaning his seat's vacant, meaning there are now only eight Justices, meaning much of SCOTUS' caseload may have just been thrown into chaos.

Also, on the partisan side of things, since everybody knows Scalia was a major part of the unofficial, five-member Right wing of the Court that de-facto decided many cases, the balance of power is currently deadlocked and could shift to the Left if Obama or an incoming Dem President nominates a more liberal personage and gets them through the Senate.

Welp, ninja'd several times over.

edited 13th Feb '16 2:13:39 PM by darksidevoid

GM of AGOG S4: Frontiers RP; Sub-GM of TABA, SOTR, & UUA RPs
PotatoesRock Since: Oct, 2012
#111893: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:13:35 PM

Also: Do we need to immediately talk about this in terms of how it favours a political side?
Unfortunately, yes, yes we do. Scalia existing was pretty much politics. The Supreme Court is politics. And he's been a part of politics. This has IMMENSE and IMMEDIATE repercussions on the American political landscape.

darksidevoid Anti-Gnosis Weapon from The Frontiers (Ancient one) Relationship Status: Robosexual
Anti-Gnosis Weapon
#111894: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:15:07 PM

Indeed. SCOTUS is the head of the third, co-equal branch of government, after all.

GM of AGOG S4: Frontiers RP; Sub-GM of TABA, SOTR, & UUA RPs
3of4 Just a harmless giant from a foreign land. from Five Seconds in the Future. Since: Jan, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
Just a harmless giant from a foreign land.
#111895: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:15:47 PM

Are there any important SCOTUS cases coming up that would be delayed?

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darksidevoid Anti-Gnosis Weapon from The Frontiers (Ancient one) Relationship Status: Robosexual
Anti-Gnosis Weapon
#111896: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:19:02 PM

Definitely important cases yes, although I honestly can't think of what they are off the top of my head, and I'm not sure for how long or whether they would be delayed.

edited 13th Feb '16 2:19:36 PM by darksidevoid

GM of AGOG S4: Frontiers RP; Sub-GM of TABA, SOTR, & UUA RPs
Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#111897: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:20:35 PM

Some things have political consequences. Why shouldn't we discuss the potential political implications of things?

@Cases: They could potentially hear them but if they're a tie I don't know what the procedure would be.

TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#111898: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:24:25 PM

He was, what, 79? I was surprised that he passed, but, I mean, he kept doing what he loved until the end.

3of4 Just a harmless giant from a foreign land. from Five Seconds in the Future. Since: Jan, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
Just a harmless giant from a foreign land.
#111899: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:25:13 PM

Someone I discussed this with pointed out that its...unlikely Obama manages to get a new appointee through the Senate (assuming that there are not a lot of Senate Defectors with Candidate Trump)

On the other hand, assuming the Dems get the Presidence and manage to take back the Senate.....at which point the GOP is in horror scenario land?

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TotemicHero No longer a forum herald from the next level Since: Dec, 2009
No longer a forum herald
#111900: Feb 13th 2016 at 2:25:54 PM

The procedure in a SCOTUS tie is to uphold the latest lower court's decision, and the case itself is to not be treated as legal precedent. (So, a future case could decide things differently.)

Expergiscēre cras, medior quam hodie. (Awaken tomorrow, better than today.)

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