Demand Progress

The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday evening comes as a shock and a tragedy. We honor her forty years of pathbreaking service on the federal bench, including 27 years on the Supreme Court.

Her dying wish was that her replacement not be confirmed until a new president has been installed. Mitch McConnell just said he will not respect that wish and will instead hold a vote on Trump's nominee. But Senate Democrats have the power to stop them and save the Supreme Court.

The Senate runs on unanimous consent. If a single Senator objects to anything, even routine procedure, everything grinds to a halt. That is what Senate Democrats must do: block unanimous consent on every single thing for the rest of the year. It may be our best chance to stop Trump and McConnell. Will you help?

Sign the petition: Shut down the Senate and stop Trump and McConnell from picking RBG's successor!

This is a frankly terrifying moment. But there is a path forward. Senate Democrats have the power and the leverage to prevent Trump and McConnell from deciding who will succeed Justice Ginsburg on the Supreme Court.

Senate Democrats can block every motion, force every bill to be read in full, and use a wide range of parliamentary tactics to shut down the Senate between now and January, when new Senators and the president are inaugurated.

The Senate still has work ahead, including bills Trump and McConnell want to pass, including bills to fund the government. It's time to block all of it.

McConnell and Trump see this as their best, and perhaps last, opportunity to further stack the federal courts with extreme right-wing nominees who will cripple the next president. As tough a moment as this is, we can stop them -- if Democrats act firmly to shut down the Senate now.

Add your name now: Tell Democrats to shut down the Senate and stop Trump and McConnell from picking RBG's successor!