Who's Running the Senate, Anyway?
Democrats adapt to leading a chamber they need to take charge of now ... but, just can't
Publisher’s Riff
Does anyone know who the Senate Majority Leader is?
It’s unclear. Based on what we know and can see, it seems like Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is still the Senate Majority Leader … even after Democrats have retaken the Senate through the last two Senate run-off races hard fought and won in Georgia. Ralph Warnock and Jon Osoff are now seated and Vice President Kamala Harris is the tie-breaker. But, no one should expect her to use that all the time. It’s unreasonable, and self-defeating, to expect her to just stay holed up in the Senate all day waiting for tie-breaker chances. She’ll need to exercise that role rather prudently.
So, judging from the looks of things, McConnell is still the most powerful person in Washington (which is an irksome thought after all that sweat in Georgia). Schumer might think he appears tough, but: 1) he compromised on an impeachment trial date of two weeks from now for a case that’s as open-and-shut and Constitution-defying as they come; 2) Republicans are still chairing the Committees because he has yet to cut a deal with McConnell; and 3) he’s waffling on whether to axe the filibuster or not, whether to use reconciliation or not … oh, 4) he can’t figure out how to keep Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) in line (who represents a state with a population just under the size of Philly).
Part of it could be he’s waiting for cues from President Biden, a former creature of the Senate. Manchin told The Washington Post something recently that was intriguing …
If there’s one person who can make it work, it’s Joe Biden,” he said, adding that the president “understands how this place used to work, how it should work and how it can work — if it doesn’t work under Joe Biden, it doesn’t work at all.
But, a larger part is that most Democrats get both squeamish and cerebral about holding power when they get it (except House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), of course). That’s another conversation. Should Senate Democrats rid themselves of the infamous filibuster? Of course, immediately, they should … or, at least figure out or deploy ways to circumvent it. And they shouldn’t struggle over snarky media questions over their being hypocritical about a destroying a filibuster they themselves advocated for when Republicans were in control - Democrats should simply snap back every time they’re asked that question by constantly saying “what’s more hypocritical than Republicans saying they’re pro-Constitution, but actively working to overthrow a legitimately elected government?” It doesn’t matter what did or would’ve, should’ve, could’ve happened back then or during occasional episodes of who needed the clever 60-vote rule when the time was convenient. What matters is the calamitous nature of the urgent moment we’re in now, faced with a gunpowder barrel mix of pandemic, economic tailspin and a domestic terror insurgency.
Ideal situation is ending the filibuster - or “nuclear option-ing” it out of relevance. Other ideal situation is for Schumer to have pushed forward, relentlessly for a get-it-over-with impeachment trial … same way Republicans shotgunned Amy Coney Barrett into the Supreme Court. The problem with two weeks is that it gives Senate Republicans the time they need to obstruct on everything from switching Senate chair assignments to Biden cabinet appointments to gumming up new pandemic relief - two long weeks that make Democratic leaders look impotent before the American public. The American public is not going to want to hear excuses or all the minutiae details about Senate procedures and how Republicans are playing games. Americans will just want to know who’s in the majority and how come they can’t get anything passed. This could potentially erode Democrats’ credibility and standing as the impeachment trial starts up.