Totenberg: Rushing To Fill Ginsburg’s Seat Would ‘Abolish’ Independent Judiciary | MSNBC

NPR's Legal Correspondent Nina Totenberg, who was a close friend of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg for 48 years, tells Lawrence O'Donnell that rushing the Senate confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice "wouldn't be good for the Court, it wouldn't be good for the country, and it wouldn't be good for anybody.” Aired on 09/21/2020.
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Totenberg: Rushing To Fill Ginsburg's Seat Would ‘Abolish’ Independent Judiciary | MSNBC

33 comments

  1. A packed court will negate the judiciary as the third arm of the republic. A rubber stamp court, heavily inclined to either side is not fit for purpose. The republicult constituency should ‘be careful what they wished for.’ This goes far beyond reproductive rights.

    1. @John Brattan “An” you are serious about what? It’s past time for a new constitutional convention based on the popular vote. Then we would not have evil minority players like Trump and McConnel ruining our country.

    2. I’m just a slow thinker but at least i’ve noticed that… both wonderful Mr. John Brattan and also wonderful Ms. Ruth Depew have each done great work in defending the civilized values and principles of the free world.
      Against the endless supply of hard-right social media voices (which in turn here at MSNBC are IMHO are mostly not genuine amateurs but paid infiltrators acting that role). Since the incoming supply of foreign impostors is literally endless, i regret to see a small difference of opinion escalate, and thus for sake of conservation of precious energy i humbly offer the suggestion the notion that both are right…. the R’s are manipulative liars who say anything for their own gain, and the less visible power which underpins their mind-numbing double talk is their service to the interests of plutocracy.
      That “Money Talks” boundless energy supply has lurked close beneath the surface of industrial-strength ideologies for many centuries. For example “There is nothing more important than appearing to be religious” ― Niccolò Machiavelli Yet sadly few rank-and-file R’s know even recent history.
      Once again, i’m not too bright, but i regret to see such noble folks get caught into a needless discussion of slightly varying opinions, and perhaps when viewed from the perspective “Money Talks” then peace can hopefully restored.
      I feel we who defend against Putin and his servants Traitor Trump and the R’s are all on the same page, just harmonizing a little, and i’m the first to speak a little off key.
      But just like the principle of “perfect is the enemy of good enough” says… the western civilization’s notion of perfect is equal to complete flawless-ness, while Wabi-Sabi finds perfection in small flaws (“imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete” –> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabi-sabi )

    1. Because the SCJ seat isn’t make a wish , were gonna into an election missing a SCJ that the Dems aren’t gonna except the results and fight it 600 lawyers hired , all seats have to be filled .

  2. Democrats can’t be the only responsible ones the rule followers for Christ sake, grows some balls and go for it. We have to win, and we have to protect all the laws Democrats over our countries life time put into laws to protect Americans.

    Republicans gave us no other choice. We have to counter act. I wish Bernie Sanders would run as an independent. We would win our country back. Biden and people like this woman he interviewed are going to be why we lose everything.

  3. Republicans may think this is bad for the court, but, unfortunately, too many lack the courage and candor to oppose McConnell and Trump and, I submit, have already done severe damage to the independence of the judiciary. They are more interested in power and care less about the strength of our institutions, including the US Senate.

    1. Wow,

      Let’s talk about courage,

      Bernie was Robbed twice, did coward Democrats ever go against their own party line.

      Do you really think Brett K accusations were any different from Biden??
      Democrats are losers and liars,
      Just saw a vid of dinners being harassed while eating,not one Democrat condemned it,
      Shamefull

  4. Republicans are causing their own demise. They look foolish for sleeping through the pandemic and deciding to wake up to cast a SCOTUS nomination and vote close to the 2020 election. Step aside and let them. Go to the polls and vote them out.

    1. both the GOP and Dems protect the Bankers. It’s a fake “left vs right” paradigm. You keep being played like a fiddle.

  5. Judicial independence went out the window when Ginsberg refused to step down when she probably should have but only stayed on because Trump was going to be picking her replacement. If Hillary won in 2016, she probably would have retired a couple years ago.

    That being said, voting on a SC nominee will only be hypocritical on their political decision in 2016 to not be on Obama’s pick. But in the end, it’s all politics as normal.

    1. I think you’ve gone over the troll/magamorons heads by the comments you are getting. They don’t read. Never mind Atwood.

  6. The Supreme Court is supposed to represent both the American people and the best and brightest talent in the justice system. Adding more members would make it better in both respects. Also, it would stop Mitch McConnell’s hypocritical attempts to stack the court with conservatives who represent his and Donald Trump’s views, not those of the American people.

  7. rushed through? lmao According to who Democrats…They would be doing the same thing if the roles are reversed , Just fill the seat and get it finished

  8. This would push the Democrats to HAVE to expand the Court, because Americans would not accept an overtly partisan Supreme Court. Democrats would have to restore the bipartisan/nonpartisan independence of the Court.

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