Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.” -Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
There is a gaping hole in the Supreme Court, our country, and our hearts as we mourn the loss of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Our lives are better because of her tireless advocacy for equality and justice, and our future is less certain in her absence. She will be remembered not only for tearing down systemic barriers for women, but as someone who inspired all of us to take the next step, even if it is one step, toward real and enduring change.
We move forward knowing that Justice Ginsburg’s fight carries on, and that our courts matter more than ever. This November, the court will hear arguments in a case pursued by President Trump that would overthrow the Affordable Care Act and take health care away from millions. There are cases pursuing voter suppression tactics making their way through the judiciary that could end up before the Supreme Court this year.
The nominee who replaces Justice Ginsburg must not be viewed through a partisan, political lens, or the integrity of the court itself will be in jeopardy. Any nomination made with less than 50 days left in election season, and with voters already casting their ballots, would fail this basic test and must be opposed, or we risk further tearing at the fabric of our already divided country.
We hold out the slim possibility of hope that our Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst will be true to their past statements, and allow this fall’s election to help determine who the next Supreme Court Justice will be. At this critical moment in our country, Senators Grassley and Ernst have a unique opportunity. By keeping their word, they have the chance to fulfill Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s dying wish, bring our country together, and I hope against hope that they make the most of this chance.
Finally, as we mourn the loss of an iconic fighter for progressive change, we also heed her words and continue to work toward the next step. We will use every resource at our disposal to educate the public about the courts, about what our Senators have stated in the past, and hold them accountable if they don’t keep their word. And we call on every Iowan and American honor to Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s memory by fighting for the real and enduring change she fought for: with our advocacy, our organizing, and by casting our ballots.
Photo: Associate Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Visits WFU – via Wake Forest University on Flickr. (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Matt Sinovic is the Executive Director of Progress Iowa