Since Republicans won control of the House in 2010, the Democratic-controlled Senate\u2019s function has been obstruction. Reid has prevented bills passed by the Republican House from coming to a vote and has prevented Republicans \u2014 and Democrats, too \u2014 from proposing amendments to Senate bills that would be awkward for Democrats to oppose or for Obama to veto. Obama has cast only two vetoes, both for technical reasons on minor matters. Since July 2013, McConnell says, there have been only 22 Senate roll-call votes on amendments \u2014 and says Mark Begich (D-Alaska) has never in his six Senate years had a roll-call vote on an amendment of his.<\/p>\n
\n
Such paralysis of the Senate leaves Obama uninhibited in his use of executive orders and bureaucratic mission-creep to advance goals that should require legislation. In January, in the most statesmanlike Senate speech in years, McConnell explained how, under Republican leadership, the Senate would be restored as the creator of consensus:<\/p>\n
\u201cAn executive order can\u2019t [create consensus]. The fiat of a nine-person court can\u2019t do it. A raucous and precarious partisan majority in the House can\u2019t do it. The only institution that can make stable and enduring laws is the one we have in which all 50 states are represented equally, and where every single senator has a say in the laws that we pass.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beneath McConnell\u2019s chilly exterior burns indignation about the degradation of the institution to which he has devoted much of his life. The repair of it, in the form of robust committee and amendment processes \u2014 and an extended workweek \u2014 will benefit Democratic members, too.<\/p>\n
I know, Democrats blame the paralysis on Republicans, particularly in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.\u00a0\u00a0 Who has the best case?<\/p>\n
That column also has this good line, written, keep in mind, by George Will:<\/p>\n
McConnell\u2019s skills have been honed through five terms. He is, however \u2014 let us say the worst \u2014 not cuddly. National Review has said he has \u201can owlish, tight-lipped public demeanor reminiscent of George Will.\u201d Harsh. But true.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote><\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In a column on Kentucky\u2019s Mitch McConnell, who\u2013IF he gets re-elected to the Senate and IF Republicans win a majority on that body\u2013could be the next Senate Majority Leader, George Will offers an explanation of why the Senate is paralyzed and how a Republican victory could fix things.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1281,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,36],"tags":[3399,1993],"class_list":["post-20069","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-government","category-politics","tag-sen-mitch-mcconnell","tag-senate"],"yoast_head":"\n
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