The repercussions of the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

The death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the most prominent and influential liberal member of the US Supreme Court, could not have happened at a more inopportune moment. Just 44 days before the November 3 presidential election, her death could present Donald Trump with the "trump card" he wants to ensure he is reelected. A change in the political balance on the Supreme Court, with Republican-appointed judges outnumbering the Democrat appointees could make a difference on the day. Why? Because Trump, if he loses to Joe Biden, will want to dispute it, claiming the result is rigged or fake or false or unsustainable or unacceptable and he will appeal to his friendly judges on the Supreme Court to back him up and produce a swift decision that will leave him in the White House. At least that's what I suspect he has in mind. And in the absence of the ever-sensible and inspirational Justice Ginsburg, the cards have suddenly changed in Trump's favour. He will nominate a replacement justice next week, a woman he says, who will have a reputation and record for conservatism of the highest order. It won't matter how often and how vociferously the Democrats urge the president to wait for any replacement decision until after the election, Trump will go ahead with his nomination this coming week. He is not in the business of being nice to the Democrats. Especially not now. Poor Ruth Ginsburg. How hard she must have struggled to stay alive until after the election, knowing the repercussions that would follow her death. She was a fine and battling lady. But Trump will benefit from her passing. There is no way round it.