U.S. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) attacked the Democrats hardest to date when he increasingly supported the Senate in killing the 60-vote filibuster, a relic from the Jim Crow era that led to the Blocking civil rights legislation was used.
He was not doing well.
Some pointed out that McConnell was infamous in 2017 after Donald Trump won the White House, and McConnell spent the next four years blocking hundreds of bills that the Democratic House passed and upholding an unprecedented number of judges, including Extremists who have been found unqualified by the Bar Association.
“Winners make politics. Losers go home, ”McConnell retorted.
But now that the Democrats are in control of the Senate, House, and White House, and McConnell is still working to block President Joe Biden’s and Cabinet nominations, McConnell is playing a different game: “scorched earth” .
“Violating the Senate rules to kill the filibuster would not open an express route for liberal change,” he tweeted Tuesday, falsely characterizing the use of Senate procedures to kill or alter the filibuster as a “violation of the rules.”
“It wouldn’t open a freeway for the Biden Presidency to get into the history books. The Senate would function more like a bunch of a hundred cars. Nothing is moving. “
He also brought his “scorched earth” threat to the US Senate floor:
Mitch McConnell, Senate minority chairman, on the filibuster: “No one serving in this chamber can imagine what a completely scorched Senate would look like.” Pic.twitter.com/GTDQpW9clp
– The recount (@therecount) March 16, 2021
It’s safe to say that Democrats are furious and that McConnell never forgot or forgot that they stole a seat on the US Supreme Court when President Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland in March 2016. It was open for 293 days and expired when the Senate closed its January 2017 session. McConnell declined to allow a hearing, let alone a confirmatory vote.
Voting rights expert Ari Berman sums up the situation:
Mitch McConnell eliminated Filibuster to steal 2 Supreme Court seats for Trump but wants to keep it to block HR1 and John Lewis’ suffrage bill that would expand electoral access for tens of millions of Americans
– Ari Berman (@AriBerman) March 16, 2021
Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid explains what Democrats can do:
Trading this for the ability to actually hand over bills like voting rights seems like an easy phone call. If McConnell’s tactics get really stressful, Dems can always make further reforms to end the disability. McConnell’s goal is to make the government fail. The goal should be to make it work. https://t.co/Ob7uawekoM
– Adam Jentleson @ (@AJentleson) March 16, 2021
This Democratic strategist gives some advice to the Democrats:
Senate Democrats Should Be Furious Mitch McConnell is threatening them.
– Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) March 16, 2021
And this former Obama Senior Advisor was dealing with crushing words:
People who treat McConnell as some kind of sincere institutionalist are full of shit or too stupid to cover Congress
– Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) March 16, 2021
Here’s how others react to McConnell’s latest power hoarding tactic:
“Nothing Moves” has literally been this man’s strategy for the past 12 years. https://t.co/oYKN91rjTn
– Max, not Maxwell (@maxnotmaxwell) March 16, 2021
McConnell is scared. Democrats need to keep pushing. https://t.co/5dYHlOrHHR
– Max Burns (@themaxburns) March 16, 2021
strong “Joker threatens Gotham City” energy here https://t.co/DDZ2lLZK1r
– Oliver Willis (@owillis) March 16, 2021
So McConnell seems to be saying that if the Senate reforms the rules, the Democrats cannot pass their popular agenda, but if the Republicans control the Senate, will they pass their deeply unpopular agenda with ease? I am missing something https://t.co/iGUPmUZvYG
– Jon Lovett (@jonlovett) March 16, 2021
Mitch McConnell in 2017.
“Winners make politics. Losers go home.” https://t.co/LrvZpzUP5j
– Hook’em (@ thelonghorns12) March 16, 2021
How is that different from now? https://t.co/EdzsESgIMJ
– California Man (@MoonbeamEmperor) March 16, 2021
I love when people describe the literal present as a hypothetical future. https://t.co/CszdNW0gcf
– Move Kentucky Forward (@KentuckyMove) March 16, 2021
You mean like the last 4 years when you controlled the Senate and did NOTHING but approved your fucking fucking judges last minute? https://t.co/oxdsQ9Yus6
– Bone Apple Tea (@ iansmith06) March 16, 2021
McConnell is at least consistent. His agenda is never about serving the interests of the American people. https://t.co/pbooRwz0L7
– Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) March 16, 2021
After living with a POTUS for four years, you supported whoever actually believed in “alternative” facts – you have no credibility. You remain Satan’s fluffer. @LeaderMcConnell https://t.co/EmuVMWJEmp
– Brian J. Karem (@BrianKarem) March 16, 2021
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