Castro and Scalia Deaths Made Biggest Impact

Fidel Castro and Antonin Scalia were two of the most prominent political leaders to die in 2016.

Fidel Castro’s long-awaited passing (90 after a decade of illness) helps free up Cuba for its inevitable evolution into a more modern economy and less oppressive regime. Antonin Scalia’s sudden passing (79) changed the balance of the U.S. Supreme Court. Senate Republicans stalling on picking a replacement helped motivate conservative voters for Trump.

Castro’s totalitarian socialism is mostly an anachronism (North Korea), while Scalia’s originalism and legal preferences are likely to be the future of the court.