# Reports that Justice Scalia has died **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 13, 2016, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053 "2016-02-13T22:12:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053/21 "2016-02-13T22:42:20Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > For democrats, I think this also makes the question “who do you think will be able to get a nominee confirmed, Bernie or Hillary” an important question. Don’t underestimate how many democrats pay attention to the composition of the SCOTUS. It’s a BFD to political junkies and activists, it’s just procedural noise to the vast majority of the electorate. Very few average voters will shift their votes based on SCOTUS profile concerns. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053/22 "2016-02-13T22:42:58Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Are there any particularly important cases that are expected to reach the Supreme Court docket in the next year or two? I beleive a challenge to Citizen’s United and an abortion case and making there way. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053/23 "2016-02-13T22:43:45Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > But will the Democrats be able to force this into an election issue? If the Democrats can successfully hammer home that the Republicans are willing to hamper the Supreme Court for a full year just for political gain, then it could be just enough of a wedge issue to get them over the top in the election. It might be to the Democrats advantage to postpone this to next year anyway, in hopes that they win the Senate back. They would then be able to get through a more liberal nominee than under the present Congress. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053/24 "2016-02-13T22:44:48Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Are there any particularly important cases that are expected to reach the Supreme Court docket in the next year or two? Yes. The Supreme Court has already granted cert on cases involving: [ul] [li]Climate change regulations.[/li][li]Abortion rights.[/li][li]The President’s immigration executive orders.[/li][li]One person one vote.[/li][li]Obamacare Part III.[/li][li]Affirmative Action.[/li][li]Public sector unions.[/li][/ul] Two or three of those are likely to be blockbusters. Especially abortion. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053/25 "2016-02-13T22:45:41Z")
> [@astro](#): > > It’s a BFD to political junkies and activists, it’s just procedural noise to the vast majority of the electorate. Very few average voters will shift their votes based on SCOTUS profile concerns. I don’t think it will shift many votes, but it could increase turnout, and it will definitely impact political strategy for various campaigns, as well as sitting Senators and the President. It will be one of the biggest campaign issues, guaranteed. The interaction between the President and Senate over the next several months will definitely have an impact on the campaigns. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053/26 "2016-02-13T22:48:31Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I don’t think it will shift many votes, but it could increase turnout, and it will definitely impact political strategy for various campaigns, as well as sitting Senators and the President. It will be one of the biggest campaign issues, guaranteed. The interaction between the President and Senate over the next several months will definitely have an impact on the campaigns. And as I said in another thread, this increases the chances people will actually pay attention when candidates are asked, “will you nominate a justice who will do X?” And candidates, especially Republican, will have to answer knowing how both sides of the aisle will respond to whatever they say. I wonder if conservatives still think they can elect a President all by themselves? Hmmmm. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053/27 "2016-02-13T22:51:30Z")
Condolences to his friends and family. I won’t miss him. I’ll wait for a better thread to discuss his replacement. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053/28 "2016-02-13T22:51:38Z")
It’s February. Certainly, Obama will appoint a new justice and get them approved by January of next year, don’t you think? That’s 11 months. Does it usually take that long? ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053/29 "2016-02-13T22:52:00Z")
Wow. 79 years old, so not surprising, but wow. How many 5-4 decisions have come down ‘recently’ where Scalia was one of the 5? _Heller_, the CO2 smackdown of the EPA: I’m sure there are lots of others. And where President Obama, or a hypothetical President H. Clinton, Sanders, or fill-in-the-blank, would appoint a Justice who’d vote the other way? IMHO, **Shodan** ’s right: this is now _the issue_ governing who to vote for in 2016 for the Presidency. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053/30 "2016-02-13T22:54:21Z")
Sorry to see a noted jurist pass, but he _was_ #1 on my Ko-Ko list. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053/31 "2016-02-13T22:54:36Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > Yes. > > The Supreme Court has already granted cert on cases involving: > [ul] > [li]Climate change regulations.[/li][li]Abortion rights.[/li][li]The President’s immigration executive orders.[/li][li]One person one vote.[/li][li]Obamacare Part III.[/li][li]Affirmative Action.[/li][li]Public sector unions.[/li][/ul] > > Two or three of those are likely to be blockbusters. Especially abortion. Without Scalia, what would have been 5-4 decisions in favor of the conservative side would become 4-4 decisions, in which the decision of the lower court would stand (wouldn’t it?). ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053/32 "2016-02-13T22:54:37Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > If the Democrats can successfully hammer home that the Republicans are willing to hamper the Supreme Court for a full year just for political gain, then it could be just enough of a wedge issue to get them over the top in the election. Dunno, when the Democrats hamper the Supreme Court, just for political gain, the Republicans don’t have any great gains election-wise, so, it’ll be probably about the same this time around. Surprised? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053/33 "2016-02-13T22:54:55Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > Wow. 79 years old, so not surprising, but wow. Same age as Kennedy, younger than Ginsburg. Makes you think. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053/34 "2016-02-13T22:56:42Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Without Scalia, what would have been 5-4 decisions in favor of the conservative side would become 4-4 decisions, in which the decision of the lower court would stand (wouldn’t it?). Correct (assuming he wasn’t the key to persuading another justice on any given case). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053/35 "2016-02-13T22:58:54Z")
From CNN: > [@](#): > > Saturday morning, he didn’t get up for breakfast. And the group he was with for a hunting trip left without him. > > Someone at the ranch went in to check on him and found him unresponsive. If he was there for a hunting trip, you’d think someone would guess he was just sleeping late and go to wake him up. ‘Yo, Tony. Y’all gonna come huntin’ with us?’ Instead it sounds like, ‘Heh. If you snooze, you lose! Let’s go kill something.’ ‘Unresponsive’ could very well mean ‘dead’, and he may have been dead before the hunt. So if they _had_ checked on him, it may have spoiled the trip. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053/36 "2016-02-13T23:10:39Z")
If the Senate drags its feet too long maybe President Sanders will be able to appoint Barack Obama to the court. That’d make some heads explode. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053/37 "2016-02-13T23:14:16Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > Wow. 79 years old, so not surprising, but wow. How many 5-4 decisions have come down ‘recently’ where Scalia was one of the 5? _Heller_, the CO2 smackdown of the EPA: I’m sure there are lots of others. And where President Obama, or a hypothetical President H. Clinton, Sanders, or fill-in-the-blank, would appoint a Justice who’d vote the other way? > > IMHO, **Shodan** ’s right: this is now _the issue_ governing who to vote for in 2016 for the Presidency. Given the age and health of much of the SC, it should have been very, very, VERY high on the list already. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053/38 "2016-02-13T23:16:31Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > What’s the longest the court has been without a ninth member? > > And the average voter may not get how important the court is, but I think they might understand “this is a government function, but certain people aren’t letting it function fully”. Apparently something similar happened to President Tyler and the vacancy lasted 15 months. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053/39 "2016-02-13T23:46:39Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > Given the age and health of much of the SC, it should have been very, very, VERY high on the list already. It’s almost always the top thing I consider in President. I hope it is for everyone. ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053/40 "2016-02-13T23:55:39Z")
Off-topic, but what is it with high-ranking conservatives and the propensity to spend their spare time dicking around on some ranch in Texas? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reports-that-justice-scalia-has-died/746053.md?page=3)