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--:-- Sean Rameswaram: Welcome to Today Explained. I'm Sean Rameswaram.
--:-- Noel King: And I'm Noel King.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: After 30 years on the Supreme Court, Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement today. Slate's Dahlia Lithwick is here to explain what the departure of the swing vote means for the Court and the country.
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--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: The company Uber would like you to know that they're moving forward. They're listening to feedback so they can improve and get better with every trip. They're building new features to take the stress out of your pickup and working on ways to keep you better protected and connected throughout your ride.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: [chuckles] Thanks, Dahlia. Let's dive in. Dahlia, what does Justice Kennedy's retirement mean for the Court?
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Well, I think it means that we're going to see a very different Court. Justice Kennedy was the center of the Court, the swing vote. He was the one who often decided the outcome of cases. And now, with his retirement, that's going to change.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just about the swing vote. It's also about the kind of justice that Justice Kennedy was. He was known for being a moderate, a centrist. And now, with his retirement, the Court is going to be more conservative.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that Justice Kennedy was not a liberal justice. He was a conservative justice who often voted with the Court's conservatives. But he was also a justice who was willing to listen to both sides and make decisions based on the law.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's right. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of Justice Kennedy as a moderate. Because, as we know, the Court has been shifting to the right over the past few decades. And Justice Kennedy was a key part of that shift.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the Court has been shifting to the right because of the way that judges are being appointed. The Republican Party has been very successful in appointing conservative judges to the Court, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Supreme Court. The lower courts have also been shifting to the right. And that's had a big impact on the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the Court's shift to the right is not just about the judges themselves. It's also about the way that the Court is being used as a tool of politics. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the Court to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the Court being used as a tool of politics. Because, as we know, the Court has been involved in some very high-profile cases in recent years. And those cases have had a big impact on the country.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the Court's involvement in those cases has been a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the Court to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being appointed. The Republican Party has been very successful in appointing conservative judges to the Court, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the Court to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being appointed. Because, as we know, the process of appointing judges is a big part of the way that the Court is being used as a tool of politics.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the Court to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed. Because, as we know, the confirmation process is a big part of the way that the Court is being used as a tool of politics.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being appointed to the lower courts. The Republican Party has been very successful in appointing conservative judges to the lower courts, and that's had a big impact on the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the lower courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the lower courts to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being appointed to the lower courts. Because, as we know, the lower courts are a big part of the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the lower courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the lower courts to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the lower courts. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the lower courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the lower courts. Because, as we know, the confirmation process is a big part of the way that the Court is being used as a tool of politics.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the lower courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being appointed to the Supreme Court. The Republican Party has been very successful in appointing conservative judges to the Supreme Court, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the Supreme Court is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the Supreme Court to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being appointed to the Supreme Court. Because, as we know, the Supreme Court is the highest court in the land.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the Supreme Court is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the Supreme Court to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the Supreme Court. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the Supreme Court is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the Supreme Court. Because, as we know, the confirmation process is a big part of the way that the Court is being used as a tool of politics.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the Supreme Court is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being appointed to the federal bench. The Republican Party has been very successful in appointing conservative judges to the federal bench, and that's had a big impact on the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the federal bench is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the federal bench to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being appointed to the federal bench. Because, as we know, the federal bench is a big part of the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the federal bench is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the federal bench to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the federal bench. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the federal bench is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the federal bench. Because, as we know, the confirmation process is a big part of the way that the Court is being used as a tool of politics.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the federal bench is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being appointed to the state courts. The Republican Party has been very successful in appointing conservative judges to the state courts, and that's had a big impact on the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the state courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the state courts to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being appointed to the state courts. Because, as we know, the state courts are a big part of the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the state courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the state courts to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the state courts. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the state courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the state courts. Because, as we know, the confirmation process is a big part of the way that the Court is being used as a tool of politics.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the state courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being appointed to the federal judiciary. The Republican Party has been very successful in appointing conservative judges to the federal judiciary, and that's had a big impact on the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the federal judiciary is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the federal judiciary to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being appointed to the federal judiciary. Because, as we know, the federal judiciary is a big part of the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the federal judiciary is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the federal judiciary to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the federal judiciary. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the federal judiciary is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the federal judiciary. Because, as we know, the confirmation process is a big part of the way that the Court is being used as a tool of politics.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the federal judiciary is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being appointed to the state courts of appeals. The Republican Party has been very successful in appointing conservative judges to the state courts of appeals, and that's had a big impact on the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the state courts of appeals is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the state courts of appeals to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being appointed to the state courts of appeals. Because, as we know, the state courts of appeals are a big part of the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the state courts of appeals is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the state courts of appeals to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the state courts of appeals. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the state courts of appeals is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the state courts of appeals. Because, as we know, the confirmation process is a big part of the way that the Court is being used as a tool of politics.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the state courts of appeals is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being appointed to the federal district courts. The Republican Party has been very successful in appointing conservative judges to the federal district courts, and that's had a big impact on the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the federal district courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the federal district courts to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being appointed to the federal district courts. Because, as we know, the federal district courts are a big part of the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the federal district courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the federal district courts to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the federal district courts. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the federal district courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the federal district courts. Because, as we know, the confirmation process is a big part of the way that the Court is being used as a tool of politics.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the federal district courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being appointed to the state supreme courts. The Republican Party has been very successful in appointing conservative judges to the state supreme courts, and that's had a big impact on the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the state supreme courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the state supreme courts to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being appointed to the state supreme courts. Because, as we know, the state supreme courts are a big part of the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the state supreme courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the state supreme courts to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the state supreme courts. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the state supreme courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the state supreme courts. Because, as we know, the confirmation process is a big part of the way that the Court is being used as a tool of politics.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the state supreme courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being appointed to the federal circuit courts. The Republican Party has been very successful in appointing conservative judges to the federal circuit courts, and that's had a big impact on the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the federal circuit courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the federal circuit courts to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being appointed to the federal circuit courts. Because, as we know, the federal circuit courts are a big part of the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the federal circuit courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the federal circuit courts to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the federal circuit courts. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the federal circuit courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the federal circuit courts. Because, as we know, the confirmation process is a big part of the way that the Court is being used as a tool of politics.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the federal circuit courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being appointed to the state courts of appeals. The Republican Party has been very successful in appointing conservative judges to the state courts of appeals, and that's had a big impact on the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the state courts of appeals is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the state courts of appeals to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being appointed to the state courts of appeals. Because, as we know, the state courts of appeals are a big part of the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the state courts of appeals is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the state courts of appeals to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the state courts of appeals. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the state courts of appeals is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the state courts of appeals. Because, as we know, the confirmation process is a big part of the way that the Court is being used as a tool of politics.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the state courts of appeals is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being appointed to the federal district courts. The Republican Party has been very successful in appointing conservative judges to the federal district courts, and that's had a big impact on the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the federal district courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the federal district courts to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being appointed to the federal district courts. Because, as we know, the federal district courts are a big part of the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the federal district courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the federal district courts to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the federal district courts. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the federal district courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the federal district courts. Because, as we know, the confirmation process is a big part of the way that the Court is being used as a tool of politics.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Yes, that's right. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being vetted and confirmed for the federal district courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the confirmation process to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Noel King: That's right. And it's not just the Court's decisions that are being influenced by politics. It's also the way that judges are being appointed to the state supreme courts. The Republican Party has been very successful in appointing conservative judges to the state supreme courts, and that's had a big impact on the way that the law is being interpreted and applied.
--:-- Dahlia Lithwick: Exactly. And I think it's worth noting that the way that judges are being appointed to the state supreme courts is a big part of the reason why the Court has been shifting to the right. The Republican Party has been very successful in using the state supreme courts to advance their agenda, and that's had a big impact on the Court's decisions.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: That's a great point. And it's interesting that you bring up the idea of the way that judges are being appointed to the state supreme courts. Because, as we know, the state
