Quote History Quoted:
When Trump is appointing SCOTUS nominees, people's attitudes about might change.
ETA: I hold that to be true even if all the stuff he is saying right now is not a lie. I like what he says, but I cannot trust him and I think he has zero grasp of the Constitution and what it means in regards to the court appointments. The only guy I trust for that is Ted Cruz. Maybe Rubio. Rubio is a fail on immigration but I think he'd at least try to appoint good judges.
Scalia is likely to retire in the next 8 years.
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Pretty much this.
Not just Scalia (very conservative, turns 80 this year)....but Bader-Ginsberg (liberal, 83)....Anthony Kennedy (moderate, 80).....and Stephen Breyer ( liberal but not as much as Ginsberg..78) are all likely retirees in the near future...
That means 4 potential appointees in 4 years, and almost certainly within 8 years.
There could be more due to other issues (health related).
Even Trump***** (especially if he has a Republican Senate) would likely appoint more conservatives than Sanders or Clinton would.
The political leanings of the US Supreme Court WILL change in the near future.
Sanders/Clinton get in, they will change one conservative vote and one moderate vote to two liberal votes...(In addition to two direct liberal replacements). Changing the court from 4(lib) -1 - 4(cons) to 6(lib) - 3(cons).
Trump/Rubio/Cruz get in, they'll replace two liberal votes and one moderate vote with conservatives (in addition to a direct conservative replacement) . Changing the court 4 - 1 - 4 to 2 - 7.
That's a HUGE difference. The next time the ages of several justices fall into the 80s is 16 years from now....that's a awful long time for us to be looking at Justice Barack Obama (or maybe Michelle Obama), Justice Eric Holder (or Justice Loretta Lynch in payment for not going after Hillary) writing the Majority Opinion....
Eta: *****Trump may or may not be a true conservative...but he's going to have to work with a Republican controlled Senate, so I think his picks will at least tend towards more conservative....