Stick a fork in the left. We are done unless we invoke 28 USC 1.
Justice Anthony Kennedy is not hiring clerks for the term starting October 2018, which is a strong signal of his impending retirement.
www.npr.org/…
The only way that a far right ideologue is not appointed to the court is if the Presidency and Senate changes composition before then. (Probably due to death or Mueller indicts a sitting Senator or Pence)
But then again, we could have President Hatch appointing a replacement for Kennedy.
(Under the assumption that Pence resigns, Pelosi is able to get a discharge petition through impeaching Trump, which stops him from pardoning everybody that could link him to the crime)
See my previous diary about Democrats changing 28 USC 1 in 2020 to take it back.