Most of my liberal and moderate friends disagree with my perspective on this issue. This is good, if we didn’t have disagreement, we would all be in lockstep.
I am impressed with conservatives, e.g., George Will, David Brooks, Mitt Romney, Lincoln Project who are choosing principles over the current leader, by recognizing that he has betrayed conservative principles and values. Their willingness to remain true to their principles is what we are currently lacking in the legislative branch (on both sides).
One person, who sadly confused the person with the principle/position, was Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Although she had a long and illustrious history of supporting equal rights with measured intellect and tenacity; her unwillingness to recognize this talent in others has led to our current crisis.
By believing that hers was the only voice for women and equal rights, and refusing to retire when she was ill and another person who held her same cherished values could be appointed; she may have ironically cost this court a crucial vote for equal rights.
I experienced this in a minor way when I was President of the Board of Education in the Morris School District. Being the President of the School District can be a bit heady, I was recognized with deference throughout the community. I led the Board which appointed employees, had fiduciary responsibility for a $100M budget, oversaw school capital projects, spoke to the press, etc.
Fortunately, I understood that it was the position that was giving me this power not me.
I learned that from my predecessor who had been unable to give up the position. She believed that the school could not function without her. Thereupon she tried to undermine my role, from meetings with the Superintendent to setting the Board agenda.
I had been elected because the Board wanted change. It had devolved into factions and meetings lasted until 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. as the Board argued and argued. My goal was to eliminate these factions, I began by appointing my detractors to key leadership positions.
The previous Board President attempted to undermine me and the board by leading through the Superintendent. After giving her some time to relinquish her role, I had to exercise my elected power during a meeting and ask the Board to vote down the agenda that she and the Superintendent had inserted and not the one that the Superintendent and I had developed.
The Superintendent and I subsequently had another difficult conversation where I made it clear that the Board had elected me and it was I who had the authority and responsibility to work with him, and guide the Board and the School District. He got it and the former President no longer had the right to usurp my position.
After my term, and the next President was elected (a year before she would serve); I included her in every conversation, every phone call, every meeting with the press; so that she, the Superintendent and the Board were ready to accept her leadership. It worked flawlessly, by the time she took over, the factions were eliminated, and most meetings ended by 8 p.m.
The previous President had confused the position with the person. She thought that she was so critical that no one could replace her. But she could be replaced, just as I was replaced, and everyone after me was replaced.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg had an impressive record of accomplishments in women’s and civil rights. But unfortunately, her unwillingness to recognize anyone else’s talents may define her legacy as a person who thought that she was more important than her principles.
Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.
Emilie Knud-Hansen says
A brilliant story to illustrate the cold truth that RBG indeed should have paved the way for a successor instead of making her dying wish to reject any nominee put forth by Trump, even if he wins a second term. Sandra Day O’Connor showed the courage to step down when she became ill. I admire nearly everything about Justice Ginsberg but her determination to die on the bench.
Angela Rieck says
Sadly, we learned how this could happen when Thurgood Marshall stepped down; thank you for understanding the point of this column.
Eva M. Smorzaniuk, MD says
There are no rules for how to end your life appropriately. Based on her history of perseveration and quiet determination I would imagine that Justice Ginsburg likely thought it was her duty to fill her appointed role until she could no longer. Although your anecdote of being president of a school board certainly allows you to hold forth on your good qualities, it hardly compares in scope to Justice Ginsburg, whose committment to a cause was the focus of her professional and personal life.
Angela Rieck says
Sigh, why must a disagreement these days devolve into a personal attack. If it helps, I believe that the person who succeeded me as President was a better President than I.
The issue is not Justice Ginsberg’s accomplishments, it is the need to continue her legacy. I believe that it is our job to do the best we can in our job, then to help the next person continue to move the accomplishments forward…if the next person to succeed Justice Ginsberg only has two X chromosomes in common…we have so much to lose.
Eva Smorzaniuk, MD says
Not a personal attack, just an observation. Of the 13 paragraphs you wrote, 4 concern RBG, the rest are about you..
Ian Stenzel says
You’re the worst if you’re putting this all at the feet of a dead woman.
Her friendship with Scalia is world-known.
She was perfectly capable of separating the person from the politics,
Yet here you are, writing proof of your own limitations.
Angela Rieck says
This column is not about her ability to get along with her conservative colleagues. It reflects a concern that her legacy of equal rights for all will be diminished if the appointment of her replacement is done by the current administration; and that it was preventable.
Stephen Schaare says
Hi Ms. Rieck, Well stated. Justice Ginsberg thought she was the only person capable of defending abortion rights. She also believed she would live forever, wrong on both.Of course, the unselfish choice would have been to retire while Obama was in office. An easy, gracious exit, allowing more than enough time to fill her seat. Nope, not for Ruthie. She was too important. No doubt her last breath was taken in that black robe.
Angela Rieck says
Thank you. But while I wish that she had chosen to step down, it doesn’t change that Justice Ginsberg was a woman of remarkable abilities and accomplishments. Her choice to remain in the position until her death does not diminish the work that she did during her lifetime. My concern is that her replacement may not represent her work and civil and women’s rights could be diminished.
Hubble says
You go, tell it like it is, and for all others who have the guts to Do the same…