July 27, 2018--Hard Ball? T-Ball
John said, "We have to find a way to stop them." He was talking about Republicans in the Senate, which is considering the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
"I would like to agree but how do we do that? The Republicans control the Senate and I think they have the votes to confirm him."
"You're probably right," he said, sounding flat. "But I wish there was a way."
"Until the Gorsuch nomination and confirmation process a year and a half ago there had been. Since 60 votes were required it wasn't easy to muster that many in a closely divided Senate for someone controversial, someone now like Kavanaugh who has written that a sitting president can't be indicted under any circumstances."
"That's half the reason Trump nominated him," John said. "But Mitch McConnell unilaterally changed the rules so that only 51 votes are needed. A simple majority."
"He has the power to do that as Majority Leader. There's nothing in the Constitution about confirming Supreme Court justices. So the Senate has the ability to set whatever rules it wants to organize and govern itself."
"Yeah, he invoked what they call the 'nuclear option.'"
"What kills me," I said, "is how the Republicans, who consider themselves to be conservatives, have no problem doing disruptive, radical things like that. They're hypocrites who have little regard for tradition or congressional history."
John said, "During the first two years of the Obama administration the Democrats controlled both houses of Congress but they steered away from taking bold action of this kind. It's not just that they are wimps, which they are, but by not invoking the nuclear option because they felt it would undermine traditional senatorial decorum and ways of doing business, they lost the opportunity to enact a bold legislative agenda. They even wound up with a very watered-down Obamacare program. They frittered away the opportunity to govern. Complaining all the time. Which Democrats are very good at. Complaining."
"I agree," John said, "The Republicans play hardball and congressional Democrats play T-Ball."
"McConnell and the Republicans only care about winning. Liberals and Democrats care about being right."
John summed it up, "And so we have what we have."
"I would like to agree but how do we do that? The Republicans control the Senate and I think they have the votes to confirm him."
"You're probably right," he said, sounding flat. "But I wish there was a way."
"Until the Gorsuch nomination and confirmation process a year and a half ago there had been. Since 60 votes were required it wasn't easy to muster that many in a closely divided Senate for someone controversial, someone now like Kavanaugh who has written that a sitting president can't be indicted under any circumstances."
"That's half the reason Trump nominated him," John said. "But Mitch McConnell unilaterally changed the rules so that only 51 votes are needed. A simple majority."
"He has the power to do that as Majority Leader. There's nothing in the Constitution about confirming Supreme Court justices. So the Senate has the ability to set whatever rules it wants to organize and govern itself."
"Yeah, he invoked what they call the 'nuclear option.'"
"What kills me," I said, "is how the Republicans, who consider themselves to be conservatives, have no problem doing disruptive, radical things like that. They're hypocrites who have little regard for tradition or congressional history."
John said, "During the first two years of the Obama administration the Democrats controlled both houses of Congress but they steered away from taking bold action of this kind. It's not just that they are wimps, which they are, but by not invoking the nuclear option because they felt it would undermine traditional senatorial decorum and ways of doing business, they lost the opportunity to enact a bold legislative agenda. They even wound up with a very watered-down Obamacare program. They frittered away the opportunity to govern. Complaining all the time. Which Democrats are very good at. Complaining."
"I agree," John said, "The Republicans play hardball and congressional Democrats play T-Ball."
"McConnell and the Republicans only care about winning. Liberals and Democrats care about being right."
John summed it up, "And so we have what we have."
Labels: Brett Kavanaugh, Mitch McConnell, Neil Gorsuch, Nuclear Option, Senate Rules, Supreme Court, T-Ball
posted by Steven Zwerling at
4:38 AM
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