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Skimmed while watching "On the Basis of Sex"
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Quote of the Day
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"Not my finest hour, but I had to go to work" – Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who ripped off his front gate with his bare hands after the power went out. Crushing it.
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The Story
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died.
I heard.
On Friday, the iconic justice died at the age of 87 of complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer. While she got headlines in recent years for her notorious nickname, her fancy collars, and her inspiring workout videos, RBG spent her career as a fierce defender of gender equality. Born in Brooklyn, NY, Joan Ruth Bader met her husband Marty Ginsburg at Cornell University. She graduated top of her class from Columbia Law School years later but struggled to find a job at a law firm – not only because she was a woman, but also because she was a mother and Jewish. And this was the '60s.
How times have changed…
Actually, you can thank RBG for some of those changes. She founded the ACLU's Women's Rights Project, where she won several landmark cases before the Supreme Court on gender equality. Her work helped make changes like giving women the right to open a bank account, have credit cards, and a mortgage without a man's signature. In 1993, Ginsburg – nominated by President Bill Clinton – became the second woman appointed to the Supreme Court. She served on the bench for nearly 30 years, fostering friendships across the political spectrum yet tirelessly working as part of the court's liberal wing.
Tell me more.
She championed women's rights against discrimination on the basis of sex (see: United States v. Virginia and Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co). She pushed for everyone's right to vote (see: Shelby County v. Holder). She supported the rights of those with disabilities (see: Olmstead v. LC), the right to access health care, including birth control (see: Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores). She defended a woman's right to obtain an abortion (see: her confirmation hearing). And she voted in favor of same-sex marriage (see: Obergefell v. Hodges). Chief Justice John Roberts remembered her as someone of "historic stature" and "a tireless and resolute champion of justice." Now, her death leaves a seat open on the Supreme Court.
What's happening with that?
President Trump – who's already appointed two conservative justices (Gorsuch, Kavanaugh) during his presidency – said he'll nominate a woman to replace RBG this week. And Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) promised the Senate would move forward with a vote on his nominee. However, many are eyeing the election countdown clock and saying 'something's not right.' If you remember, back in 2016, Justice Antonin Scalia died with less than 11 months left in President Obama's second term. He had nominated Judge Merrick Garland to replace Scalia, but the Republican-led Senate said 'let's hold off' since the 2016 election was right around the corner.
And now another election is right around the corner.
Exactly. In 43 days to be exact. And Democrats are not happy the Republicans want to move fast...since they didn't in 2016. Trump's 2020 rival Joe Biden pleaded with senators to follow their consciences and not push forward with the vote. So far, two Republicans – Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) – have said they don't support confirming a new justice before the election. But since the Republicans hold the Senate majority (53-47), Democrats would need at least four Republicans to side with them to stop a confirmation from happening before the election. And regardless of who wins in November, the Republicans would still have time after the election to potentially hold a vote on Trump's nominee.
theSkimm
Ruth Bader Ginsburg spent her entire career breaking down barriers for women. This weekend, thousands of people gathered outside the Supreme Court to pay their respects to the justice, whose "most fervent wish" was to not be replaced until a new president was chosen. That may not happen. And since her successor could rule on laws dealing with everything from abortion to health care to gun control and immigration, liberals and conservatives are gearing up for another big fight – with just six weeks until Election Day.
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What's saying 'crisis averted'...
TikTok. Over the weekend, the Chinese video-sharing app avoided a ban in the US by getting the Trump admin's "blessing" on a deal. Reminder: President Trump threatened to ban TikTok because of national security concerns. And said it needed to find a buyer (fast) for its US operations to keep going. Enter: Oracle and Walmart, which tag-teamed and came through with a Hail Mary for Gen Z-ers (and quarantiners) hours before yesterday's deadline. Now, both companies will own a combined 20% stake of the new TikTok Global, which will be headquartered in the US. But the deal still needs to be reviewed and approved by a Treasury Department panel.
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The fine print: President Trump said the deal will require TikTok Global to pay $5 billion to the US Treasury for educational programs to teach students what he called the "real history of our country." It comes as he's threatened to cut funding to schools teaching curriculum related to the 1619 Project. That's the Pulitzer Prize-winning series that aims to reframe US history starting with the year 1619 – when the first slave ship arrived on America's shores. Meanwhile, TikTok's owner – ByteDance – reportedly said 'this educational fund is news to us.'
...Oh and speaking of avoiding bans, a federal judge blocked the Trump admin's scheduled ban on the Chinese messaging app WeChat in the US, saying it was a violation of free speech.
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What's got coronavirus updates...
The US. Over the weekend, the CDC (once again) reversed its COVID-19 testing guidelines. The health agency now says people "need a test" if they've been exposed to an infected person (think: being within six feet for at least 15 minutes). This comes as the country's nearing 200,000 COVID-19 deaths.
Russia. It's apparently struck preliminary deals to sell its COVID-19 vaccine – Sputnik V – to more than 10 countries including Brazil, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and India. Officials say the vaccine could be distributed around the world as early as November, pending local regulatory approval. But health experts around the world are worried since the vaccine was approved before large clinical trials were finished – meaning it's not completely clear if it's safe and effective.
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Who granted his own birthday wish...
Tadej Pogacar. The 21-year-old (now 22, HBD) is the youngest winner of the Tour de France since 1904 and the first Slovenian ever to win.
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What's going to be dynamite…
This.
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More than 40%
The percentage of people in the United States with Myopia.*
Don't worry, we'll back up. Myopia is another word for nearsightedness. Aka when things close to you look clear, but things far away appear blurry. Insert "objects in mirror" joke here.
The good news? Now there's a way to manage myopia that is suitable for children as young as 8**. And that could mean less worry tomorrow. Learn more about myopia management.
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*Holden BA, Fricke TR, Wilson DA, et al. Global Prevalence of Myopia and High Myopia and Temporal Trends from 2000 through 2050. Ophthalmology. 2016;123(5):1036-1042. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2016.01.006
**Based on a clinical study in which participants were between the ages of 8 and 12 at initial fit.
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Here are our favorite picks to help you take a break today...
1. 16 products that'll save you some time and energy. For when you just can't. Enter: things to make cooking easier, something that'll stop your sheets from riding up, and a hair tool that'll change your life (seriously). Small victories, coming right up.
2. 20 things to declutter in your living room. For when you've binged "Get Organized with The Home Edit" and now you can't sleep until all your belongings are in labeled bins. These tips will take 20 minutes or less. May the cleaning forces be with you.
3. New running kicks. Colder days = better runs, so it's time for shoes to match. The Cloud X from Swiss brand On is lightweight, comfy, and super agile. With cushioning that adapts to your stride. Psst...Skimm'rs can try them out for 30 days with no obligation to buy. Feet, meet pavement.*
PS: Want more? Sign up to get weekly recs in your inbox.
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For when your credit card balance is stressing you out…
Ask an expert. Like the experts at The Ascent. They liked this card so much that they signed up for it themselves. Psst...it lets you transfer your balance with no interest due for 14 months. So you can get out of debt faster. Follow their lead.*
For when you're in serious nesting mode...
Don't forget a security system. With SimpliSafe you can order online and set it up yourself in under an hour. And you'll be covered for break-ins, fire, water damage, and more. PS: Skimm'rs get 20% off plus a free gift. But the deal ends tomorrow. Run don't walk.*
For when you need some tips on advocating for yourself at work…
Kim Cattrall's got you covered. The Golden Globe®️ winning actress joined us on our most recent episode of "Skimm'd from The Couch" to talk about how she learned to negotiate for herself starting at a young age. And how she trusts her instincts to choose new roles – including her character on the new show, "Filthy Rich." This episode is sponsored by FOX's "Filthy Rich" premiering tonight at 9/8c. Listen here.*
For when there's a definite chill in the air…
Time for a cozy drink. Enter: this Hot Latte Kit bundle. It has everything you need to be your own barista at home. So you can say 'see ya' to extra spending and 'what's up' to your own coffee creations. PS: Skimm'rs get 20% off, plus free shipping. Sip sip, hooray.*
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*PS: This is a sponsored post.
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In times like these, community matters more than ever. Let us know how you (or someone you know) is making an impact by helping others.
Smashing it...Rohan S (CA). He started SmashHigh, a Silicon Valley-based nonprofit that's engineered 75 lesson plans in the STEM field. It's connected middle school, high school, and college volunteers to over 4,000 under-resourced children in the US. Get more info here.
No objection to...Nancy D (DC). She heads up the DC Access to Justice Commission, which works to help low- and moderate-income DC residents get access to legal services. And that's only gotten more challenging since the COVID-19 outbreak. Learn more here.
(Some) Birthdays...theSkimm's Taylor Klodowski (NY), Haylee Freeman (TX), Jeremy Luskin (BR), Shoshana Dichter (NY), Isabella Romanazzi (IL), Iris Ben-Gal (NC), Bo Brackendorff (TX), Candis Perron (TX), Amanda Splettstoeszer (MN), Lindsay McNamara (NJ), Chelsea Newton (ID), Pat Rudovsky (MA), Brittany Ghaderi (MA), Jenifer Ramos Clotter (NY), Alyssa Sanders (NE)
*Paging all members of theSkimm. Reach out here for a chance to be featured.
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Skimm’d by Maria del Carmen Corpus, Mariza Smajlaj, Ellen Burke, Niven McCall-Mazza, and Clem Robineau
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theSkimm50 West 23rd Street, Suite 5B; New York, NY, 10010, United States Update Profile
