I've seen a few political bloggers suggest that -- in the event that R.B.G. doesn't remain on the court for whatever reason for the next year -- that the battle that would ensue over the appointment would dwarf the Kavanaugh circus. I'm inclined to agree for 2 main reasons:
1 - It would mean the possibility that Trump would get 3 S.C. appointments in just 4 years, which would basically lock up a conservative majority for a generation to come.
2 - It would be a total reversal for McConnell, who explicitly refused to hold a hearing for Garland on the basis of "letting the voters have a say" considering that Obama was in his final year in office.
#2 would have the most public credibility for outrage, in my opinion. McConnell's decision could be a real backfire here, because realistically, he could have just had Garland's hearing and known that the Republican majority simply wouldn't vote for him. Instead, he's kind of set a precedent here, even though his office has already publicly stated that he will allow a hearing for a potential replacement if the opportunity arises.
I think this could be an enormous battle with very serious long-term consequences, should this actually come to pass. How does everyone see this playing out?