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Senate Democrats are in the minority, so they don’t have the power to lead committee hearings, and run formal investigations, but the minority in the Senate has more power than in the House, where the majority always rules. One of the ways that Senate Democrats can protest and slow down the Trump administration is to use procedural moves to make everything as slow as possible and to force Senate Republicans to grind out every single accomplishment.
Axios reported that Senate Republicans are feeling the fatigue of the Democrats turning the Senate into a slog:
Thirteen weeks in session, 213 votes, 55 confirmations, two vote-a-ramas and a final 2am vote — Senate Republicans could not be more ready for a two-week recess.
Why it matters: Republicans demanded that their new leader get the Senate working hard again. Majority Leader John Thune answered the call, but Republicans are feeling the effects of the Democratic opposition.
Thune had to constantly haggle with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on vote times, and delays from Democrats have been particularly draining, Republicans told us.
Senate staffers also had to stay nimble, needing to reschedule meetings or media appearances over the past few weeks.
Tomorrow will mark the 100th day of the 119th Congress. Hopes for a Thursday afternoon fly-out were spoiled by Democratic holds on President Trump’s nominee for chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
When people comment about Democrats in the Senate not doing more, or they suggest that finally Democrats are doing something, I find it is often because they have no idea what Senate Democrats are doing.
Senate Democrats try to tell the country what they are doing pretty much every day. The problem is that the mainstream media ignores the Democrats and lives in a Trump-centric bubble.
Senate Democrats hold multiple press conferences a week. From what I have observed, the number of them that get televised by cable news is usually zero.
Even supposedly left-branded media like MSNBC spends 90% or more of its airtime focused on Trump.
Senate Democrats are slowing the Senate down, and it is having an impact. It has been almost 100 days of Republican congressional control, and the Trump agenda is still sitting in the corner, collecting dust.
The job right now for Senate Democrats is to make sure that nothing is easy for Trump and his party.
Judging from the complaints of Republican senators, what they are doing is working.
What do you think about Senate Democrats obstructing and delaying? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
