I must admit, I have actually been heartened by the Democratic response in the last 24 hours since Notorious RBG left us. Senate Minority Leader Check Schumer has sounded a lot more like Mitch McConnell and a lot less like Mr. Rogers, thumping the podium, and gravely threatening dire consequences if McConnell fucks up. Over the years, whenever the Democrats get into a bare knuckle political brawl with the GOP, I tend to look at it as the Chess Club rumbling with the Crips. They don’t want to get their new sneakers bloody.
In a conference call with his caucus, Schumer told his Senators that if McConnell goes ahead and pushes through Trump’s nomination, All bets are off of the table for next year. All of them. This was widely viewed by political observers, and I agree with to be an implicit threat. If McConnell rams through this nomination, and the Democrats win the White House and the Senate, Schumer’s first act on opening day will be to torpedo the filibuster, and reconstitute the high court with 13 members, giving the liberals a 1 seat edge. The implication being that McConnell can either give that opening to Biden to fill, and keep a 1 seat advantage, or the Democrats will pack the court and take over the edge.
I absolutely love this threat. Because it doesn’t have to be a threat. If the Democrats hold the House, take over the Senate, and inaugurate Joe Biden, it can become a reality. It’s legal, it’s constitutional, and if the Democratic caucuses hold together, it can be done in the first month or so of Biden’s presidency, leaving him free to start considering candidates.
And it should work on McConnell. Mitch McConnell is the most corrupt, morally bankrupt politician in history whose last name isn’t Trump. He’s like the Sith Emperor in Star Wars. His only reason for existence is the control of, and use of raw political power. And with that threat out in the open, it creates a problem for McConnell, but also a serious problem for Schumer.
The problem for McConnell is his one life lust, the control of and use of power. If Schumer nukes the filibuster for legislation, than Bitch McConnell’s sole reason for living, his political power, is gone. Without the filibuster, McConnell wields no more power in the Senate than GOP House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy does. He will be powerless to stop anything that the Democratic majorities want to push through. He may as well stay at home and pester Elaine Chou, who will also be unemployed.
But that dynamic also presents a very serious problem for Chuck Schumer, it tends to negate his entire threat. Because if you look under the surface, Schumer has absolutely no choice but to nuke the filibuster on the first day of the new congress, and that takes his bargaining chip away. If Biden wins the White House, and Schumer becomes Senate Majority Leader, they will do so with a thundering mandate from the people. The people are sick and tired of gridlock, political gamesmanship, and partisan bickering. They want swift action, and that’s why they’re turning over complete control of government to the Democrats.
Which, regardless of what happens to Ginsberg’s seat, means that above all else, Schumer must nuke the filibuster as the first item of business on opening day of the next congress. If he doesn’t, he loses the ability to do so for two years. And as long as the filibuster exists, McConnell will be able to stall every single piece of legislation that makes it through the House. This is not what the people want. Schumer has no choice but to nuke the filibuster, to speedily advance Biden’s agenda.
And this brings us to my nightmare scenario on this SCOTUS seat. McConnell dumblefutzes along for a while, going through the preliminary mechanics of setting Trump’s nominee up for a vote. If we get into early or mid October, and the polling makes it clear that the Senate will almost certainly change hands, then McConnell will act. He will ooze off to Schumer and offer him a deal. He will propose that he will ensure that Trump’s nominee will not be brought to the floor for a final vote unless Trump wins on November 3rd. And in return, Schumer pledges that if Trump loses on November 3rd, Schumer will agree to not nuke the filibuster in January. Which Schumer absolutely cannot do, lest he doom at least the first two years of Biden’s first term to dismal legislative failure.
But being a sneaky, conniving black hearted Irishman, I have a fix for that, and it’s suh-weeeeet! If Schumer takes the deal, and Trump loses in November, Schumer honors his deal, he doesn’t nuke the filibuster out of existence. Instead, he reverts it back into its original format, namely a talking filibuster. In other words, any member of the minority party can filibuster any bill he likes, but once he collapses to the floor from exhaustion and dehydration, they cart his silly ass off to the infirmary, and hold the vote! Schumer will have kept his word, not eliminating the filibuster, but restored it to more manageable terms, where one asshole can’t tank a piece of legislation for an entire term of congress. You’ll notice, I take my joy where I find it.SC
We’re supposed to be one country, but it’s like we’re fighting against ourselves.
Other than Trump, Mitch has done more harm to our country than anyone in its history.
Exactly what Vlad paid for by getting 45 in position, with the repugnants he also owns.
I actually kind of like going old-school with the filibuster. It can garner a lot of attention and create enough public pressure in theory to get a little (and I mean litttle) bit of what the person doing it wants. But once they yield the floor the thing is over. Admittedly, I prefer the idea of Schumer making the “deal”, and then come January looking McConnell dead in the eyes and saying “You FUCKED us every chance you got, blew through every norm and custom and like the President you have been serving have repeatedly broken you word. So I’m going back on mine. The filibuster is DEAD asshole! Karma has finally rolled around and is coming straight up your ass. If you don’t like it I’m out of fucks to give so suck it.” And then turn around and walk away.
Of course Schumer would never do such a thing. But it’s a fun thing to imagine and right now I’ll take whatever twisted happy thoughts I can dream up.
I have a bit of conniving black-hearted Irish in my mongrel make-up also. I like it.
I would like to see the requirement of 60 Senators re instituted, especially for a life long appointment.
It sounds like an excellent idea, and it looks like it would work. Now get that through to Schumer and the leadership. I have to admit that the Senator has never given me a feeling of confidence in his ability to strike fear into McConnell.
Schumer could accept the promise to not nuke the filibuster, do it anyway and say that he meant should the Dems lose the House. Obviously, controlling all three took it off the table…and then quietly, and alone, tell McConnell to eat that, you slimy SOB.
PLEASE find an editor. It’s Elaine CHAO.
You’re repeatedly looking as semi-literate as Trump’s base!
Be nice, it’s free content.
I think that the ability for any one Senator to block every thing is a very bad idea. This is mainly why most of the bills passed by the House these past two years have gone nowhere in the Senate. This must be stopped.
Biden did go on record to say he would NOT add to the number of Supreme Court Justices from the existing total of 9. On the other hand IF Moscow Mitch and the GOP-Nazis push through another Putin approved Justice to replace RBG, then most certainly Roe v. Wade, Obamacare, and what remains of the 1965 Voting Rights Act gets eventually watered down or eliminated through precedential reinterpretation. So Biden should give the GOP-Nazis some of their own medicine and eliminate the Fillibuster (which he will do anyway), ALONG WITH ADDING 4 MORE SUPREME COURT JUSTICES. I like that Schumer kept things vague as possible, and Biden did not tip his hand – lest NaziBarr &, Moscow Mitch have Trump pull an executive order ADDING 5 more Supreme Court Justices before the end of 2020.
OH GOOD ONE You are gonna confuse the heck out of any #MAGA who stumbles on this piece, but hey #BlueWaveKarma RIGHT just like in #TX #LakeTigard.. TY TY #RIP #RBG .. provides the Newest Game in town .. or pumps up the Oldest One.
SHARING EVERYWHERE… well not Internationally.
BREAKING: Lisa MURKOWSKI via nytimes
For weeks, I have stated that I would not support taking up a potential Supreme Court vacancy this close to the election,” Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said in a statement. “Sadly, what was then a hypothetical is now our reality, but my position has not changed. I did not support taking up a nomination eight months before the 2016 election to fill the vacancy created by the passing of Justice Scalia. We are now even closer to the 2020 election — less than two months out — and I believe the same standard must apply.”
Senator Susan Collins of Maine had said Saturday that she did not believe that the Senate should vote on a nominee before the election.‘
I’ve always been one to suggest that we be bold, but only to the point where we can ensure only modest midterm losses. In other words, sure, put 15 seats at risk, but not fifty.
However, I’m changing my mind. That caution didn’t help in 1994 or 2010. The reality might be that one big piece of legislation (ie, ACA) loses forty seats, while ten loses forty-two. Or who knows, maybe it’s a bell curve where ten laws passed thrill the base and the erosion drops.
Either way…I think it’s time to go to war. If we win, I say stick to things that have broad support, but let’s jam massive structural change though. Voting rights, court reform, add a public option, some element of the GND, infrastructure, wealth tax…let’s just go for it.
Impeachment of Bill Barr or Thump would derail the Senate because it would then have to drop any confirmation hearings to concentrate on impeachment. That’s another arrow in her slingshot http://www.jobztip.com