When Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away in the fall of 2020, the United States panicked.
Namely, democrats and liberals were terrified by the prospect of another conservative judge on the United States Supreme Court, which already had a two-seat majority.
Then of course, there was the ongoing debate as to whether or not then-sitting president Donald Trump was entitled to pick another Supreme Court judge, as the 2020 presidential election was only weeks away.
Barack Obama was famously banned from appointing Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court owing to the fact that it was an election year, even though President Obama still had eight months left in his presidency.
Of course, RBG's death at age 87 also brought to the forefront an ongoing debate about whether there should be age limits for Supreme Court Justices.
"Would you support a mandatory retirement age of 75 for US House, US Senate & US Supreme Court Justices and if not why?"
If There Are Minimums, There Should Be Maximums
"Yes."
"We have age minimums."
"We need maximum age limits these people are making decisions for a future they won't be involved in."- mattjf22
Age Doesn't Always Equal Wisdom...
"I am 82 years old."
"Personally, I feel that anyone my age who still gets off on power needs to be kept away from normal people."
"But to the point of this post, the world has been run by old people since the beginning of our species, and just look at the place!"
"Yes, if you were intelligent to begin with your wisdom and common sense will increase with age, but so will your cynicism."
"If you were a young jacka**, you will become an old jacka** — and a hide-bound prejudiced old jackass at that."
"Give them a nice pension at 70, with the condition that if they mess with politics or government again they lose the pension."- SemichiSam
Would Have Greatly Affected The Last Two Elections
"70 and as for president no one can run over 65."
"FFS get with the program folks just retire."- Upstairs-Bid6513
Age Limits Are Only The Beginning
"Age requirement of 65, 2 term limit, Congress people serve 4 year instead of 2 year terms, and no campaigning more than 60 days before the election."- Deedoodleday
Term Limits First
"I feel like if we were to attach an age to it, it should be the age of retirement, but I feel like it would be more important to have term limits."
"Limits would fix almost all the same issues and address more, without arbitrarily deciding someone is too old to serve the state."- Askmyrkr
"Term limit is the way to go."- bob2235
Not Where Our Concerns Should Be...
"No, the problem isn't age, it's our election system."
"Politicians get old in office because it's so f*cking hard to vote them out!"
"End legal bribery, end FPTP, and we'll see a much healthier turnover in our political processes."- FountainsOfFluids
What Matters Is Their Qualifications And Abilities
"I'll be the contrarian."
"If you're good, you're good, regardless of age."
"I'll take a 75-year-old who is smarter, savvier, and better representative of my values than a 35-year-old."
"If you don't like them because they're senile, don't vote for them, that's all."
"Honestly, I feel the same about lower-age limits that aren't just the age of majority."- walkerintheworld
75 Is still Too Old...
"I would go even younger at 70."
"Sure that may mean we would lose Bernie, we would also be ditching McConnell, Pelosi, and the other fossils in office who refuse to address the problems we face."- Daryno90
Wrong Priorities
"Would rather see mandatory voting like Australia."- szthesquid
Wouldn't Change Anything
"No."
"Making politicians retire at some arbitrary age would not address the underlying problems our system has."- giope_1995
"What problem are you trying to solve by doing this?"
"Apparently, people want to be represented by ancient dinosaurs."- SideShow117
Defeats The Point Of Democracy
"No, absolutely not."
"Nor should there be a minimum age (apart from 18)."
"The point of a representative democracy is that the people vote for whom they want."
"Putting restrictions on who can run serves no purpose other than invalidating the votes of people you disagree with."
"It's not up to you or me to decide who is 'valid' as a candidate."
"That's the entire point of democracy."
"And to those of you that are convinced that if all the old people were just gone, then everyone would agree with you, you're ironically the exact kind of uninformed voter that you claim to be trying to prevent."- scottevil110
"No, because if there was a 76-year-old candidate I liked I would want the freedom to vote for them."
"Supporting things like this is so short-sighted."- tedesco455
In the heat of the moment, it's easy to make rash decisions about government and democracy.
Frustrating though it may be, it's important to remember progress is a slow, steady stream and doesn't come easily.
Also worth remembering, there are indeed two sides to most arguments, and far more can be resolved in a discussion than in an attack.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Rocked A Pair Of Sparkly Heels To A Recent D.C. Event, And The Internet Is Rightfully Obsessed
On Friday, February 14, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg visited the Library of Congress to present the inaugural Ruth Bader Ginsburg Woman of Leadership Award.
Though the award went to Agnes Gund, a philanthropist in Washington D.C., RBG herself also earned some well-deserved praise.
The Notorious RBG rocked a pair of sparkly heels that got a nod for her fashion savvy from Martha Stewart!
Stewart was photographed standing behind the diminutive SCOTUS Justice...
@KateBennett_DC/Twitter
...and had a close up view of the shoes.
@KateBennett_DC/Twitter
Images of RBG's sparkly shoes quickly went viral on Twitter, where people couldn't get enough of the judge's flashy style.
Yes. All the yes. https://t.co/Etk646om0D— Kate Bennett (@Kate Bennett) 1581950771.0
They reminded many of Dorothy's magical slippers from The Wizard of Oz.
RBG needs to click her glittery heels together three times and take us all back home. https://t.co/9rV9uFQi7t— Mike Sington (@Mike Sington) 1581982941.0
Justice RBG rocking some amazing sparkling shoes. Click those heels three times! https://t.co/LOK1qHNdMN— Pam Vaught (@Pam Vaught) 1581996420.0
RBG's white socks + sparkly heels combo deserves a write up in @ManRepeller https://t.co/drjDIR0nTD— rach against the machine (@rach against the machine) 1582122621.0
RBG wears what she wants, whenever she wants.
@MikeSington She’s adorable— valentina (@valentina) 1581986814.0
It's #WCW and our crush today is Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the silver sparkly heels she wore to the Woman of… https://t.co/HJpR9qnkB7— We've Got Issues, Girl (@We've Got Issues, Girl) 1582126760.0
@MikeSington lovin' RBG!— Jacqueline (@Jacqueline) 1581990076.0
If only we could all channel some of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's unstoppable energy.
RBG wearing sparkle heels is my kind of energy https://t.co/ognN5y7qfW— Carrie A. Mitchell (@Carrie A. Mitchell) 1582124651.0
@KateBennett_DC Stay safe, stay cool, stay long, Justice Ginsberg.— eastoftheborder (@eastoftheborder) 1581957204.0
Is it common for a Supreme Court Justice to have an online fan club?
@KateBennett_DC Just when I think I can’t possibly love her more.— Ella S. (@Ella S.) 1582045550.0
@RBG...u go girl, rocking those sparkly heels...👍🤩😘 https://t.co/qIdT6geNPh— An Win (@An Win) 1582083533.0
RBG has always been a force for equality, and that doesn't show any sign of stopping.
Love, love, love her. A woman’s, woman. She doesn't just talk doing the right thing for women, she DOES IT! Plus he… https://t.co/plSEYISYeK— Joanna Bunten (@Joanna Bunten) 1582079506.0
#RBG absolutely needs to be an Honorary Muse!!! @KreweOfMuses #MusesParade #ThoseShoes #Heels #Glitter… https://t.co/0emIdskM6i— ... (@...) 1582047811.0
Keep up that undeniable style, RBG. We love you!
The book Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg is available here. The book is also available in a young readers edition, available here.
There's nothing better than funny Halloween costumes.
Sure, that character from the obscure anime show you love might be your favorite, and the princess costume you rented may be quick and easy, but it's the funny costumes everyone's going to be talking about at work the next day while trying not to barf on their desk because Halloween was on a weeknight. Those are just the laws of the universe.
And if you really wanna rule Funny Halloween 2018™, you gotta go punny. Given the ridiculous pun costumes currently ruling Twitter, competition this year is steep! Consider this your first training exercise for 2019. Take notes, because this is how it's done!
First up: Plant Parenthood!
Happy Halloween! Support Plant Parenthood! https://t.co/SQDmbQftZn https://t.co/H9qtu7pK36— Madison Malone Kircher But Watching Hocus Pocus (@Madison Malone Kircher But Watching Hocus Pocus) 1540685112.0
I must admit this stumped me until I read the tweet. But five stars! Another key to a memorable pun costume: Make it a thinker. Also, as an inveterate lazy cheapskate, this combo of dollar store fake plants and what looks like an old backpack simply worn backwards takes first prize in the costume competition that exists solely in my mind.
Then there's this, which combines two of everyone's favorite things: Ruth Bader Ginsburg and gay stuff (like disco).
Judge's ruling: flawless execution, expert punnery! *bangs gavel*
My “R Bee-Gee” mashup #Halloween2018 costume. #dissent #notoriousrbg #rbg #dissentcollar https://t.co/eBabUPTSge— 🌊 Dr. Jennifer Glass 🌊 (@🌊 Dr. Jennifer Glass 🌊) 1540695576.0
And then there's this, which is fully next-level and snatches any and all pun trophies forever:
Thotnos ready to make the hard decisions and look good doin it https://t.co/dBhBXhDFVK— 40yo white man from Ft Lauderdale (@40yo white man from Ft Lauderdale) 1540615770.0
Respect.
An Honorable Mention goes to this, which has gone directly over my head, and I really respect that!
Lara Jean Croft: To All The Tombs I’ve Raided Before https://t.co/6rLBuzQGTf— Nicole He (@Nicole He) 1540678273.0
(Seriously, what does this mean? I have no idea but I bet it's ingenious. Good job NIcole!)
There were tons of other pun costumes that TOOK TWITTER BY STORM:
This year I went for a Halloween costume that is pop culture at its finest. Introducing: Stormy/Stormi! I was a mas… https://t.co/EZ7MedwjeG— Eliza Orlins (@Eliza Orlins) 1540679011.0
Some were BOWLED OVER by this one:
I’m not saying my ability to DIY a Halloween costume (and a punny one at that) is my best trait, but I’m not NOT sa… https://t.co/lWSJYGvrBs— Zombie Jami 🧟♀️ (@Zombie Jami 🧟♀️) 1540513067.0
But the REALITY was, this was many people's favorite (wink):
Happy Halloween from the CWE!!! 🎃🧛🏻♂️ #RealityBites You gotta love a good photo of reality stars eating!… https://t.co/maoNCBvkFH— Nathan Gemayel (@Nathan Gemayel) 1540695206.0
The puns even got sort of sexy...
My sister just sent me this and said her costume is “reverse cowgirl” 😂❤️🤠 https://t.co/KjsT8rQ7jC— Shelby Sells (@Shelby Sells) 1540608809.0
As well as just downright genius:
Pretty proud of my #Halloween2018 custom-built pun costume, "David Buoy"! It even won "Best Costume" at… https://t.co/uoJhiT5qla— 𝕊𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕣 🦇 𝔹𝕒𝕥𝕫 (@𝕊𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕣 🦇 𝔹𝕒𝕥𝕫) 1540760480.0
While others had a certain je ne sais quoi:
How’s this for a great pun/hallowe’en costume? https://t.co/GULnSxDCFv— Matt Leib (@Matt Leib) 1540841040.0
And when a figure is as versatile and multi-faceted as Ruth Bader Ginsburg, there's no end to the puntastic possibilities:
Ok everyone. You may as well stay home on Wednesday. We have a winner for the best Halloween costume of the year.… https://t.co/hF0CMswSHx— Andrei Cherny (@Andrei Cherny) 1540765020.0
This is even better than the best bad pun Halloween costume I’ve ever seen, which was someone I saw on the subway w… https://t.co/2QfWI8a5iO— 🎃💀 Caroline McCarthy 👻🦇 (@🎃💀 Caroline McCarthy 👻🦇) 1540770682.0
So there you have it! Now get out there and turn a look that'll make 'em say, "Wait, what? Oh... 🙄"
Happy Halloween!
H/T Daily Mail, Twitter