RIP Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

[Viteu]

Ruth Bader Ginburg, an Associate Justice on the United States Supreme Court, passed away today of cancer. She was 87 and a fierce advocate for women, minorities, queer people, and marginalized groups. She will be missed.

This loss also petrifies many Americans, and we fear that the eventually slip into authoritarian is almost complete. I ask all Talossans to take a moment to consider the amazing accomplishments of one of the world's best jurist, take a moment of respect, and maybe pause the current flamewars waging through Witt for 24 hours as our small but Talossan way of paying respect.

[Glüc da Dhi S.H.]

 :'( This is just devastating news.

[Sir Txec dal Nordselvă, UrB]

My heart is heavy and my fear is palpable. I hear it told among her last words was that she did not want to be replaced until after the next inauguration. Pray it be so and godspeed RBG!

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

Yeah I have like a hundred texts this is going to get real.

[Miestră Schivă, UrN]

Don't psych yourselves out just when the struggle gets real, Americans.

He's not God Almighty. He's not a genius. He's a very stupid and cruel man who got where he is out of dumb luck and unintended consequences. Everything he wrecks CAN be fixed, if you win this election and make sure the win isn't stolen. The people of Belarus are on the streets right now showing you how it's done. The worst thing you can do right now is give up, decide you've already lost. That's how bullies win. I certainly hope the Democrats in the Senate aren't drowning their sorrows right now, making plans for emigration/suicide, or otherwise hiding under the bed in fear of the Orange Boogermonster.

And when you win, do everything in your power to make sure this can never happen again. Finish Reconstruction. If you don't might a fight, if you're not going to give up out of fear of a bunch of Cletuses and Lurleens with guns and their cynical enablers in power, then you'll win. The whole world is counting on you, personally, what you do from now until January 21 at least. If you fuck it up... to quote Frank Zappa, "it won't blow up or disappear / it'll just look ugly for a thousand years". I can't do much apart from encourage you. Good luck!

[Açafat del Val]

May I just say: It's a really tragic state of affairs when the unfortunate passing of a single justice causes this much fuss. No one seat in any branch of government should wield so much power. The Congress sorely needs to reclaim its place as the dominant branch and stop ceding so much ground to the Executive and Judicial branches.

It was never intended when the Constitution was written that the Supreme Court would become such a blunt tool of political process, and it was thought instead that the elected representatives (well, the Senate was appointed, but by directly elected state legislators) would, y'know, get stuff done and represent the interests of the majority.

The fate of our republic should not depend on who sits on the Supreme Court. May we find a way to de-politicize our judiciary after the dust settles.

[Sir Txec dal Nordselvă, UrB]

May I just say: It's a really tragic state of affairs when the unfortunate passing of a single justice causes this much fuss. No one seat in any branch of government should wield so much power. The Congress sorely needs to reclaim its place as the dominant branch and stop ceding so much ground to the Executive and Judicial branches.

It was never intended when the Constitution was written that the Supreme Court would become such a blunt tool of political process, and it was thought instead that the elected representatives (well, the Senate was appointed, but by directly elected state legislators) would, y'know, get stuff done and represent the interests of the majority.

The fate of our republic should not depend on who sits on the Supreme Court. May we find a way to de-politicize our judiciary after the dust settles.

I would beg to differ that Congress has and ever should be the dominant branch. All 3 are co-equal. I would agree that Congress has let the Executive branch run ramshod over it, however.

[Açafat del Val]

Well, "dominant" to the extent that it leads domestic policies and forms the law. That's pretty powerful, even if there are checks and balances. The Federalist Papers make it pretty clear the that Founders foresaw an eminently powerful and productive Congress, and this was the case until Teddy Roosevelt turned the game upside-down.

My point is that I'd much prefer a quiet president who leads foreign policy and leaves laws to Congress (the presidency has become a psuedo-kingship, which is disastrous; we should never expect so much from a single office), a Supreme Court that is so far less politicized, and a Congress that has at least 650 Representatives in the House.

[Ian Plätschisch]

And a Congress that has at least 650 Representatives in the House.

If the House of Representatives had maintained the original ratio of population to representatives, there would currently be about 11,000 representatives.

I say, let's do it.

[Viteu]

And a Congress that has at least 650 Representatives in the House.

If the House of Representatives had maintained the original ratio of population to representatives, there would currently be about 11,000 representatives.

I say, let's do it.

It would certainly nullify the electorial college and gerrymandering.

[Miestră Schivă, UrN]

It wouldn't nullify the Electoral College if states still gave all their electoral votes to whoever wins the state by 1 vote.

[Viteu]

It wouldn't nullify the Electoral College if states still gave all their electoral votes to whoever wins the state by 1 vote.

I'll modify, it would partially in effect nullify the EC because the number of electors, equalling the number of representatives plus two senators, would increase proportionally with the state population.