Notice: In order to accurately quote a sitting member of the United States Senate this article contains a word that violates the PG rating.
Unless he can rally a significant enough number of his supporters to play dress up with their guns and cause sufficient civil unrest America has rid itself of its Trump problem effective the afternoon of January 20th. Now the biggest threat to American democracy, prosperity and its economy is Mitch McConnell remaining the Senate Majority Leader. While we need to remain vigilant of Trump in his waning (and very dangerous for America) days we simultaneously need to shift our focus to the longer term problem: Mitch. Let’s explore.
So much hinges on the outcome of the two Senate runoff races in Georgia on January 5th that it is impossible to put it into the few words allowed for this op-ed. It will be an upset but winning both races is a possibility. If you are registered to vote in Georgia please do so! If you have friends or family registered to vote in Georgia remind them to do so; repeatedly if necessary.
If McConnell remains the majority leader he will obstruct almost everything the Biden administration wants to accomplish legislatively. He has shown how he will do it; he simply won’t bring legislation passed by the House to the Senate floor for a vote. For Biden’s first two years (keeping the House in 2022 is far from a sure bet at this point) he will have a Democratic House majority and arguably its greatest Speaker of all time in Nancy Pelosi. The House can pass all the bills it wants but they really mean nothing if they die in the Senate.
If the Democrats take control of the Senate –albeit only by virtue of Kamala Harris’ tie breaking vote – they can accomplish a lot. If they have the majority the Democrats have to change the rules of the Senate and get rid of the filibuster. I know I will rue the day in the future but we have to get there first. That will take McConnell’s best obstruction play away from him and enable the Democrats to pass legislation with 50 votes and Harris’ tie breaker.
A more immediate issue is that McConnell can block any and all Biden nominees for Cabinet or judicial positions if he has the majority. Current rules require 50 voted for confirmation (51 in the event of a 50-50 tie). Without the two Georgia seats the Democrats do not have the votes. At first glance it may appear a bit farfetched but McConnell could block every Biden nominee leaving him without a Cabinet. After four years of Trump and McConnell’s obstruction of Obama is anything really farfetched? Does anyone doubt that making Joe Biden a one-term president is high on McConnell’s list of political goals?
I’ll throw a wild card into the urgency for legislation. What if the Supreme Court rules that Obamacare is unconstitutional or its ruling really guts the act? In that case remedial legislation literally holds the lives of millions of Americans in the balance. The best court watchers in America don’t think that will happen and I hope they are correct. Predicting the Court is a very inexact science. Can you see Mitch allowing a Biden backed plan to pass? I can’t!
It is fine and I think reasonable to hate McConnell but do not underestimate him, question his skill in the Senate or intelligence. When he was questioned as to his resolve he replied, “I’m stronger than mule piss.” He has proven he is and from the standpoint of the welfare of the American people as repulsive.
As of this moment Trump is all but history (a very bad chapter of American history at that) the greatest threat to America is Mitch McConnell and he must be neutralized. Trump is basically a distraction and will probably remain so for some time after January 20th. Georgia voters, America needs you!
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