This is incredibly consequential considering the 5-4 make-up of the court, and considering that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been widely rumored to be considering leaving the court.
If Obama is able to replace Scalia and Ginsburg the Supreme Court could shift to 3-6 in favor of liberal ideological worldview prior to the end of President Obama’s term in office.
http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2016/02/13/breaking-supreme-court-justice-antonin-scalia-dies/
Scalia’s unexpected passing sets up a politically charged battle to replace him. Mere moments after his death was confirmed, Conn Carroll, a key staffer for Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), promised Republicans would block anyone that Obama nominated.
http://spectator.org/blog/65473/rip-justice-antonin-scalia
Emily Zanotti, The American Spectator -
.........”I was blessed to not only have met Justice Antonin Scalia, but to have had him for lectures. He was a great man, an excellent jurist and legal scholar, a dedicated Catholic and a phenomenal Supreme Court justice. He will be missed, and not just by the people who agreed with him.
Fidelium animae, per misericordiam Dei, requiescant in pace. Amen.
Ginsburg has to know there’s no point resigning this late in the Obama regime.
The fact that it’s an election year just might give the RINO Senate the courage to confirm NO ONE Obama nominates.