Posted on 03/31/2018 5:43:54 AM PDT by dennisw
The Senate is sitting on 78 of President Trump’s nominees who have already been passed out of committee but can’t get a floor vote. Chuck Schumer and his loyal band of Democrats accomplish this obstruction by objecting to unanimous consent that a nomination be taken up. This triggers a motion for cloture which brings with it 30 hours of floor debate.
The Wall Street Journal, in an editorial denouncing the Democrats’ practice, notes that cloture votes used to be almost unheard of for nominations other than judges. At this point in the past four presidencies combined, only 15 executive-branch nominees had been confirmed after cloture. In the current Congress, Democrats have already invoked cloture on more than 50 Trump nominees.
Consequently, 43 percent of Trump’s nominees await confirmation, according to Sarah Huckabee Sanders. And there have been 102 fewer confirmations so far than in even the slowest recent administration.
Why the Schumer stall? It’s not because Trump’s nominees are unqualified or too extreme. Last week, the Dems blocked Richard Grenell, who was nominated in September to be ambassador to Germany, a rather important post. Grenell is the longest-serving U.S. spokesman at the United Nations. He’s openly gay and has the backing of some liberal groups.
The Democrats are blocking Grenell and so many others as part of their “resistance” to Trump. It’s that simple. As the Wall Street Journal puts it, “their goal is simply to slow the formation of a GOP government. . . .”
What to do? Try to change the rules requiring 30 hours of floor debate, a move that should have been made months ago. Sen. James Lankford has proposed that the debate time be shortened to eight hours. This, as the Journal notes, was the standard in 2013-14 after Republicans, then in the minority, agreed to a request by Harry Reid, then the Majority Leader.
It takes 60 votes to change this rule, so some Democratic support is needed. If it’s not forthcoming, and I don’t expect it to be at this juncture, then the Wall Street Journal editors urge Republicans to keep the Senate operating five days a week and even weekends until the deck has been cleared of nominees.
One of the main reasons keeping DJT from moving forward. He cannot get his people in office where they can govern the leftist Federal bureaucracy. I am sure Jeff Sessions needs more Trumpists to help him at Justice Department. Does he have anyone working under him who voted for Donald Trump? This is crazy!!
Make the democrats pay? Excuse me. The democrats seem to be running congress at the moment and are not likely to make themselves pay. Besides, The Turtle wouldn’t like it.
The key is to gain 3 to 5 Senate seats to the GOP ...
PLUS
Get rid of McConnell as Senate Speaker, replacing him with someone who has no illegal activity with China.
Schumer should be tarred and feathered. McConnell is far too “ collegial” with Schumer.
I'm guessing it's because McConnell sat on over a hundred of Obama's appointees and denied them a vote. Revenge is a powerful motivation.
2.5 days a week worth a work is considered full time employment for the senate.
5 days a week and they’ll be looking for OT pay...
Do a Jimmy Stewart on 'em. Keep it going 24/7 until the old drunks pass out from need of alcohol or sleep or their prescription pills. Lock the friggin' doors. Do it now!
you are wrong. Trump’s appointments have been held up a lot more that Obama’s were. The problem is Mitch McConnell is doing nothing about Chuckie’s obstruction.
http://www.newsweek.com/whos-holding-trumps-appointments-ask-mcconnell-685787
Apparently, Democrats can do whatever they want with impunity.
Because, comrades, the revolution is almost done, with just a tad more than fifty per-cent of the population ready to opt for tyranny.
Go figure.
IMHO
The problem is not the Democrats—It’s Mitch McConnell.
Republicans hold a majority in the Senate. If nothing is happening, that’s squarely at the feet of Majority Leader McConnell.
T’would be a shame if want for a nail we’re to lose the mid-term election AND our POTUS-VSG
A shame for US deplorables, but a victory for swamp critters everywhere. The turtle and the lyin’ need to be replaced for someone with backbone intelligent thinking, and fast fists.
Announce you are using the nuclear option and bring all of them out in one package for a vote, get them all approved in one motion. A big step to draining the swamp but McConnell is part of the swamp. Won’t happen.
Kill the filibuster.
We blocked a lot of Obama’s, too. yes, for good reason, but just like the Nuclear Option, requiring 60 votes for anything should be gotten rid of, forever. All things and appointments should always be able to be passed with 51 votes unless and until a Senator actually conducts a filibuster.
A president should be able to get ALL of their nominees through in the first week.
Just a cranky .02 A
Blame the Republicans. They don’t have much of a window, since they seem to be deliberately throwing their majorities. Why are they on vacation AGAIN? They should be in DC confirming judges and other Trump appointees.
Agree.
A president has the right to their people, period. And 51 votes should be enough for anything.
Stop Hillary and pay a steep price.
How many of the still unapproved nominees are minorities or women?
McConnell hates Trump as much as Schumer and company...along with Ryan and about 150 or so other RINOs in both Houses....else the nominations could be fast-tracked.
Democrats = Obstruction & Failure
It’s the only thing one can expect from them and they have a long record to prove it they have a masters in BS.
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