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This #SundayMorning we're asking what Dems have in their back pocket that they can use to slow down or block the Senate from rubber stamping another conservative Trump nominee for the Supreme Court.
How do we plan to honor RBG's dying wish?
There are several options.
(THREAD)
How do we plan to honor RBG's dying wish?
There are several options.
(THREAD)
(2) First and foremost is to get the senators who committed on the record to not supporting a nominee during an election year to keep their word. So far we have 2: Collins and Murkowski. We need 2 more.
Several of these senators are up for re-election. https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1307665819552210945?s=20
Several of these senators are up for re-election. https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1307665819552210945?s=20
(3) Once we've explored any possible allies across the aisle, then we need to start considering other options. A normal nomination process takes 70 days of extensive vetting, interviews, and hearings.
Shortening that to 45 days will be quite the feat. https://apnews.com/07785358a408ed33a2c06f992b847f21
Shortening that to 45 days will be quite the feat. https://apnews.com/07785358a408ed33a2c06f992b847f21
(4) McConnell can do it of course, but there is going to be some natural resistance from GOP senators in toss-up races who desperately need to be home campaigning. This means Lindsey is in trouble
And it brings us to our second option
Keep the Senate busy https://apnews.com/a4abe872b545f913db02c351439d3d39
And it brings us to our second option
Keep the Senate busy https://apnews.com/a4abe872b545f913db02c351439d3d39
(5) The senate is supposed to go home mid-October and they already have plenty to do before then, including avoiding a government shutdown.
That means that Democrats suddenly have the upper hand in budget neogitations if they want to weild it. https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2020/09/18/congress-trump-budget-shutdown/
That means that Democrats suddenly have the upper hand in budget neogitations if they want to weild it. https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2020/09/18/congress-trump-budget-shutdown/
(6) Another option is to take the DHS whistleblower complaint seriously and drag their feet on any potential nomination process for Chad Wolf.
Schiff, the head of the house intelligence committee, certainly has lots of fodder for an investigation. https://www.startribune.com/confirmation-gets-trickier-for-trump-homeland-security-pick/572384632/
Schiff, the head of the house intelligence committee, certainly has lots of fodder for an investigation. https://www.startribune.com/confirmation-gets-trickier-for-trump-homeland-security-pick/572384632/
(7) Another option is more controversial but Pelosi indicated it's on the table. And that's to conduct impeachment proceedings against Trump or Barr.
Impeachment requires the entire senate to be in chambers, so the judiciary couldn't hold hearings. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/09/20/pelosi-impeachment-option-ruth-bader-ginsburg-supreme-seat/5844313002/
Impeachment requires the entire senate to be in chambers, so the judiciary couldn't hold hearings. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/09/20/pelosi-impeachment-option-ruth-bader-ginsburg-supreme-seat/5844313002/
(8) It's a dirty play and it has some drawbacks. It may galvanize the witch hunt crowd and provide fodder for the narrative that the previous impeachment proceedings were politically driven.
That's why it may be smarter to impeach Barr. https://www.businessinsider.com/attorney-general-bill-bar-no-respect-law-democrats-should-impeach-2020-9
That's why it may be smarter to impeach Barr. https://www.businessinsider.com/attorney-general-bill-bar-no-respect-law-democrats-should-impeach-2020-9
(9) Nadler has threatened it before. In a GOP controlled Senate, the effort seemed futile.
Now the calculus looks different if the end goal is simply to keep the Senate too busy to defraud the American people from another Supreme Court seat. https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/24/politics/attorney-general-william-barr-testify-congress/index.html
Now the calculus looks different if the end goal is simply to keep the Senate too busy to defraud the American people from another Supreme Court seat. https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/24/politics/attorney-general-william-barr-testify-congress/index.html
(10) The GOP is holding this country hostage through minority rule. Dems need to stop playing by the rules the GOP abandoned long ago.
We have tools to stop this authoritarian madness. Let's use them. https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/09/19/mcconnell-biden-pack-court/
We have tools to stop this authoritarian madness. Let's use them. https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/09/19/mcconnell-biden-pack-court/
(END) Thanks to @EdKamen for the #SundayMorning thread suggestion. Come back next week and we'll do this again.
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