OPEN THREAD: R.I.P. Antonin Scalia

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

Antonin Scalia, Supreme Court Justice, found dead:

Associate Justice Antonin Scalia was found dead of apparent natural causes Saturday on a luxury resort in West Texas, federal officials said.

Scalia was certainly one of the more polarizing figures on the Supreme Court. One of the most vocal defenders of originalist interpretation, the loss puts the ideological split on the court at a 4-4, and leaves an election year vacancy for Obama with a Republican Congress and two Senators running against each other in the primary.

Consider it an open thread, because there are just so many wrinkles to this breaking news.

Comments

[hardblue.livejournal.com]

And an even nastier, tougher fought presidential election? Everyone knows that the nomination of justices is part of the presidential prize, but it is kind of abstract. This makes it so real. So, it's like pouring petrol on the contest. This is going to burn.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Let the galalaxy-electorate burn!