Η δικαστής και μέλος του Ανώτατου Δικαστηρίου των ΗΠΑ Ρουθ Μπέιντερ Γκίνσμπεργκ έφυγε από τη ζωή σε ηλικία 87 ετών.
www.news247.gr
Ο Τραμπ – ο οποίος κατά τη διάρκεια της προεκλογικής του εκστρατείας το 2016 είχε απαιτήσει η Γκίνσμπεργκ να παραιτηθεί και την είχε επικρίνει επανειλημμένα – αποκτά πλέον τη δυνατότητα να μεταμορφώσει το Ανώτατο Δικαστήριο περισσότερο από οποιονδήποτε πρόεδρο μετά τον Ρόναλντ Ρέιγκαν, που είχε κάνει επίσης τρεις διορισμούς σε αυτό τα οκτώ χρόνια που έμεινε στην εξουσία το 1980, μετακινώντας το σώμα και τότε προς τα δεξιά. Τόσο ο πρόεδρος, όσο και ο Ρεπουμπλικάνος πρόεδρος της Γερουσίας Μιτς Μακόνελ θεωρούν την αλλαγή ισορροπίας στο Ανώτατο Δικαστήριο προτεραιότητα.
A replacement for the liberal justice could reshape the court for a generation, marking Trump’s most lasting legacy
www.theguardian.com
Ginsburg’s death has set up nothing short of a historic war for the future of the court – and American life under the law.
Donald Trump and Republicans in the Senate are determined to replace Ginsburg with a conservative justice. Their doing so could decisively tilt the ideological balance of the court for a generation and would probably constitute the most lasting legacy of the Trump presidency.
What’s at stake?
Reproductive rights, voting rights, protections from discrimination, the future of criminal justice, the power of the presidency, the rights of immigrants, tax rules and laws, and healthcare for millions of vulnerable Americans, to name a few issues. Every big issue in American life is on the line.
Why is so much at stake?
Replacing Ginsburg with a young conservative justice would fundamentally shift the ideological balance of the court, creating a seemingly bulletproof conservative majority of five justices (excluding chief justice John Roberts, who would make six conservatives but who is seen by the far right as less reliable). This new majority could usher in a new legal landscape that could last at least 30 years.
Didn’t Trump already appoint two justices?
Yes, Trump appointed justice Neil Gorsuch in 2017 and Brett Kavanaugh in 2018. But they replaced justices who were nominated by earlier Republican presidents. They have pulled the court right, but not as far right as replacing Ginsburg with a conservative would. Ginsburg was nominated by Bill Clinton in 1993.
That sounds dramatic. Is it really such a big deal?
Yes. An ideological tilt of this kind on the supreme court has not happened for 50 years. Since 1969, Republican presidents have appointed 14 out of 18 justices elevated to the court – but certain Republican appointments, such as Sandra Day O’Connor, Anthony Kennedy and David Souter turned out to occupy moderate ground or even drift liberal on some issues. In the recent hyper-partisan age, that middle ground on the court has mostly disappeared.