Judge Vaughn R. Walker served as a U.S. District Judge from 1989 to 2011, and while he was nominated by two Republican presidents, he also presided over many progressive decisions, including the case that paved the way for the legalization of gay marriage. Today’s show is part civics lesson and part reassurance in the resilience of our democratic institutions. We discuss the court as a remaining bastion for thoughtful discourse, and, of course, the impact of Justice Ginsburg’s death on the future of the Supreme Court.