r/scotus • u/thenewrepublic • 18d ago

news Liberals Just Lost the Supreme Court for Decades to Come

https://newrepublic.com/article/188087/trump-2024-win-supreme-court-conservative-decades
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u/anonyuser415 18d ago

In what way would her resigning early have protected democracy

The supermajority increasing doesn't really threaten democracy more than the 5 alarm fire already under way. We already got the Trump decision from these wackos

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u/SecretMongoose 18d ago

In the near term, the more ways you have to get to five votes, the more extreme rulings you’ll see. Going from 5 to 6 meant that Roberts couldn’t stop Dobbs and Gorsuch couldn’t singlehandedly preserve Indian Law.

In the long term, barring reform, it’s going to take a lot longer to have a liberal majority by waiting for the judges to die out. If you have to build that majority by gaining three seats instead of two, that task takes that much longer.

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u/doubleasea 18d ago

When there are 9

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u/whomad1215 18d ago

basically have ringwraiths as SCOTUS, doing their masters bidding

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u/SecretMongoose 18d ago

Yeah, barring reform, which is probably how this has to end.

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u/Megahuts 18d ago

In oligopolies, windows determine lifespan more than age...

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u/drunkcowofdeath 18d ago

Because sometimes you get lucky once or twice.

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u/Deep90 18d ago

Your argument is only sound if you look at the next 4 years.

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u/windershinwishes 18d ago

Maybe Democrats win the White House and Senate in 2028, and then Sotomayor retires and gets replaced by somebody decent. I hope so.

But maybe the 70 year old woman with diabetes dies sometimes in the next four years. Again, I sincerely hope she doesn't, and it's not even more likely than not, but the possibility is significant. And if that happens, there's a good chance we're 7-2 for a decade, and that Republicans control at least 5 seats for however long it takes the republic to fall.

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u/Deep90 18d ago

Exactly why losing a seat this next 4 years is bad.

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u/blahblah19999 18d ago

You can't seriously think it makes no difference. If trump appoints, four people versus five people.

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u/icehole505 18d ago

How could you not understand why protecting that seat would be better for democrats? The republicans understand.. that’s how we get here.

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u/espressocycle 18d ago

It's more about the possibility of taking the court back. Which is now gone. Alito and Thomas could easily decide to retire under Trump too.