Former Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy was the definition of what a ‘swing vote’ is. He was generally the focus on tight, high profile cases that could be decided either way.
It was impossible to know where he would come down with his decision.
Neil Gorsuch replaced Kennedy much to the consternation of the liberals. Gorsuch became a possibility for President Trump after then-President Obama failed to get his nominee, Merrick Garland, pushed through on his way out of the White House.
That made for some instant bad blood involving Gorsuch, as unfair as that was. Score one for Justice Gorsuch since the now-newest member of the Court, Brett Kavanaugh, has inherited the monotonous hatred of the left.
Cranky Ginsburg
No one on the Court is more bitter than cranky Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Entering what must be the last phase for her on the Court, she leans heavily on her ideology to the far left.
In direct contrast, Trump’s first two court appointees are strict Constitutionalists in the spirit of every conservative’s idol, the late Justice Antonin Scalia.
That adds additional bees in Ginsburg’s bonnet.
Take for instance a recent Supreme Court oral argument. Gorsuch was quoted as saying to one contentious lawyer, “Maybe we can just for a second talk about that arcane matter, the Constitution.” That prompted RBG to steam in her seat trying as hard as she could to silence him. Unsuccessfully it should be noted.
Without missing a beat, the unfazed Gorsuch continued asking questions. The next one coming less than a minute after RBG tried to shut him down. That back and forth between two ideologies spilled into another oral argument case a week later.
Naturally their next exchange came about because Gorsuch wanted to follow the Constitution. RBG, who is the epitome of a judge legislating from the bench, attempted her own perception outside the Constitution. To her, it is “a living, breathing thing.”
The aging Ginsburg may be annoyed with her seniority over the much younger Gorsuch. During the 2016 presidential election, in a most unbecoming quote from a sitting Supreme Court Justice, she took sides. She told a reporter, “I can’t imagine what the country would be with Donald Trump as our president.” She added, “For the country, it could be four years. For the court, it could be, I don’t even want to contemplate that.”
But that wasn’t enough. She insisted, “He (Trump) is a faker. He has no consistency about him. He says whatever comes into his head at the moment. He really has an ego. How has he gotten away with not turning over his tax returns?”
It is devilish to wonder how the left-leaning media would handle such behavior if the tables were turned. Can you imagine the field day they would have if a Trump appointee said what RBG said?
