All the folks who think the Republicans will show restraint because they’re afraid of losing an election need to understand something. Republican strategy is not confined to any single election cycle. They are thinking in generational terms. (1/)

Republicans don’t especially want to lose an election. But they are perfectly willing to lose an election today if they can get results that will benefit them tomorrow. They know that election losses are not permanent. But controlling the courts is permanent. (2/)

The GOP understands that its agenda and philosophy are unpopular. That’s why they have adopted a strategy to insulate themselves from the results of any election. Gerrymandering and voter suppression are intended to prevent election losses. But the courts are the fail-safe. (3/)

If the Republicans can’t avoid losing an election, they can at least make it very hard for Democrats to undo whatever they’ve done by controlling the courts. Controlling the courts, to a large degree, insulates the GOP’s unpopular agenda from the voters. (4/)

That’s why nothing will stop them from installing a replacement for RBG. Because the courts are more important to them than any single election. Conservative control of the courts can block Democrats from undoing Republican policy, even if Democrats win an election. (5/5)