Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died.

[HisMajestyBOB]

Statement from Senator Grassley:
https://twitter.com/ChuckGrassley/status/1307421592411156482?s=19

[Razgovory]

Are Democrats really talking about packing the court?

[Oexmelin]

Yes. At least at the grassroot level.

[OttoVonBismarck]

My honest hope is if Biden wins and the Dems win the Senate they instead choose to negotiate some kind of detente on judges, but I'm not sure it's possible in our country any longer. Simple court packing is a brute force tool that will just end up with us having a Venezuela style Supreme Court that is linked to whomever controls the political branches and has dozens of members.

[grumbler]

My honest hope is if Biden wins and the Dems win the Senate they instead choose to negotiate some kind of detente on judges, but I'm not sure it's possible in our country any longer. Simple court packing is a brute force tool that will just end up with us having a Venezuela style Supreme Court that is linked to whomever controls the political branches and has dozens of members.

So, no change except the numbers of members?

The problem with a détente on USSC nominations is that they know full well that the Republicans will throw out détente the instant they get a senate majority, just as they did last time.

[DGuller]

Are Democrats really talking about packing the court?

I don't know about talking, but if they're not planning to pack the court, they have no business being in politics.  Not packing the court in 2021 would be like issuing another diplomatic protest in September 1939.

[Razgovory]

Packing the Court seems like a nuclear option.  I suppose it could be used as a deterrent, like real nukes, but also like real nukes I don't think I would like to live in a world they have been used.

[Eddie Teach]

There is nothing to be gained by making this suggestion before the election.

[grumbler]

Eliminating the filibuster was and is the nuclear option.  That's the last thing distinguishing the Senate from the House other than length of terms.

The Republicans exercised the nuclear option on the judicial filibuster; the Democrats will nuke the legislative filibuster.

[DGuller]

Packing the Court seems like a nuclear option.  I suppose it could be used as a deterrent, like real nukes, but also like real nukes I don't think I would like to live in a world they have been used.

Sometimes it's not up to you what world you'll live in.  If the other side has already launched nukes at you and scored some hits, I'd rather live in the world where my side responds with its own nukes, while we still have some that survived the first strike.

[Eddie Teach]

I'd rather live in the world where political infighting in a democracy isn't likened to nuclear war.

[DGuller]

I'd rather live in the world where political infighting in a democracy isn't likened to nuclear war.

I'd rather live in the world where I have 100 billion dollars, all the important politicians in my pocket, and where everyone is interested in discussing statistics.  This "rather live in" game can get quickly out of hand if you don't limit it to realistic worlds.

[The Brain]

I want a toilet of solid gold.

[Eddie Teach]

Sure you wouldn't rather have uranium?

[DGuller]

Sure you wouldn't rather have uranium?

Vasectomy would be cheaper and will have fewer side effects.