After Sen. Mitt Romney announced Sept. 21 he would back Trump’s appointee for the replacement of late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Republican-led Senate essentially clinched the confirmation of a new justice prior to the election. This move not only disrespects Ginsburg, but it also a sickening example of what our government has become.

Ginsburg, the second female to be appointed to the Supreme Court, fought her whole career for gender equality and had the rare ability to communicate with those who disagreed with her, up until she passed away Sept. 18. She leaves a legacy for being one of the most storied and beloved United States Supreme Court Justices of all time. 

With President Trump and Senate Republicans moving quickly to replace Ginsburg, it shows a blatant lack of respect. It is clear they have little to no regard for her legacy and her career, and instead just have their own political agenda in mind. Ginsburg has a huge impact on our judicial system, and she will stand as one of the most iconic gender equality activists. She deserves more respect, and Trump and Republicans simply 

According to CNN, a factor in Trump’s pick for the nomination is whether or not they think Roe v. Wade was wrongfully decided. For those who don’t know, the famous case argued in 1973 legalized abortions across the country. The ability for a woman to have control over her own body is a fundamental part of the women’s rights movement. As previously mentioned, Ginsburg was a staunch advocate for women’s’ rights. Replacing her with someone who directly contradicts her is not only disrespectful to her, but also disgustingly unjust for all American women.

Now, it is important to note that the government should proceed as the Constitution says. However, in 2016 when former President Barack Obama wanted to appoint a replacement for Justice Antone Scalia after his death, Republicans argued it was too close to the election, which was 300 days away. The upcoming 2020 election is less than two months away.  Republicans are directly contradicting the precedent they set in 2016 because it is too close to the election to nominate a new Supreme Court Justice. 

If the appointment of a new justice were to be delayed until after the election, it would also give voters a unique opportunity to essentially choose a new justice themselves. For example, Trump is likely going to nominate a conservative justice due to his political beliefs. Presidential candidate Joe Biden on the other hand would probably nominate a justice with more centrist and liberal politics because of his base’s views. This would also likely bring a higher voter turnout because of the added stake to the election.

Instead of giving the American voters a chance to nominate a new Justice, Trump and Senate Republicans are moving forward to find a replacement for Ginsburg as quickly as possible. Not only is this blatantly disrespectful, but Republicans are also going against the precedent that they set in 2016 when they blocked Obama from nominating a new Justice. This unprofessional and ill-mannered move will come back to bite Republicans in the future.