On the Matter of Mitch: Perhaps Not Where but Why

Yesterday morning frosh congressperson Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted about the government shutdown :

(Red arrow mine.)

This tweet may have prefaced the viral search that followed for the current Senate Majority Leader, earmarked with the hashtagged question, #WheresMitch.

If you search that hashtag in Twitter you will see the House freshmen and quite a few more senior representatives made the best of McConnell’s continued obstructionism by avoidance, with tweeted photos of them looking for him beginning in early afternoon.

Meanwhile, federal employees struggle to make ends meet, possibly facing eviction in two weeks if they don’t receive a paycheck by then. Senate bill S.24 passed yesterday, ensuring back pay for federal employees once the government is reopened. Though it won’t fix the damage to fed employees entirely, it’s the right thing to do.

It does nothing for federal contractors and subcontractors, many of whom are the lowest paid personnel performing work like sanitation.

And some of these folks are surely Mitch McConnell’s constituents, along with the rest of nearly 60,000 Kentuckyians who are federal employees and active military relying on federal services.

As I shared last week, a friend who owns a small construction business is affected by the shutdown even though they aren’t directly employed by the government. So too every one of those more than 60,000 Kentuckyians directly affected has several shadow counterparts affected indirectly by the shutdown. Like daycare providers, local grocery and retail stores, automotive mechanics, so on, all losing a percentage of their income from the shutdown.

In the case of those serving federal contract employees, they won’t make that income back. And they will be hurting for some time to come, making it difficult to forget this willfully inflicted damage before 2020’s general election. All these federal employees, active military, and contractors as well as their local businesspersons aren’t uniformly Democrats; this is Kentucky we’re talking about, a state which would elect a Republican like McConnell to the Senate in the first place.

It seems odd that McConnell, who polled last week with an improved (ha!) 38% approval rating, would cling so desperately to the shutdown when it looks like he’ll run for re-election. But his polling numbers ticked upward last year when he clung to Trump, providing a likely explanation for his entrenchment.

McConnell hasn’t yet come to grips with Trumpism’s limits. If the Special Counsel’s Office shows Trump and his closest advisers in his campaign and administration have violated multiple laws, will McConnell cling to the appearance of criminality, too?

Because we all know it’s not really if but when the Special Counsel’s Office indicts persons close to the president, the question becomes not Where’s Mitch? but Why, Mitch?

Why would anyone with half a brain screw over enough of their own constituents to populate a city the size of Lexington, Kentucky, and go on believing they just have to stand by their man Trump to win re-election?

And perhaps the question isn’t Why, Mitch? but Why Mitch? This shutdown will have the same impact on all 50 states, affecting the constituents of every senator including the 21 Class II states. Why are the GOP senators allowing McConnell to continue as Senate Majority Leader?

Especially when McConnell seems just a little too smug and too invested in the role over doing his primary job by his Kentucky constituents and the nation.

Why Mitch? Why not another GOP senator for Majority Leader?

#WhyMitch

 

Congressional switchboard: (202) 224-3121

(Treat this as an open thread.)

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94 replies
  1. A. Rice says:

    The why seems apparent. Mitch isn’t concerned about his popularity. Or, at least, that’s not his most pressing concern. He’s got dirty little personal secrets that are just itching to get out. And he knows that if he stands up to Trump too much that’s going to happen. I think it’s inevitable, anyway, but that’s how people with skeletons in the closet operate. Especially if it’s been working for them for years.

    • Bobby Gladd says:

      McConnell is dirty with Russian money.

      “…More recently, in 2016, millions of dollars in Russian money was funneled to Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell3 and other high-profile Republicans to finance GOP senatorial candidates.

      Foreign nationals are prohibited from contributing to Senate races, but, according to the Dallas Morning News, during the 2015–16 election season, Ukrainian-born oligarch Leonard “Len” Blavatnik, who has British-American dual citizenship, put a small fraction of his $20 billion fortune into GOP Senate races. McConnell, who took $2.5 million for his GOP Senate Leadership Fund from two of Blavatnik’s companies, was the leading recipient. Others included political action committees for Senator Marco Rubio, Senator Lindsey Graham, Ohio governor John Kasich, and Arizona senator John McCain…”

      Unger, Craig. House of Trump, House of Putin: The Untold Story of Donald Trump and the Russian Mafia (p. 216). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

    • Rayne says:

      All the more reason why the GOP senate should remove McConnell from the Majority Leadership. He can’t be compromised to the same degree if he is removed from a position of power. They should pick a leader from whomever is least dirty and farthest out from re-election. (I’d personally hope for a woman senator as Majority Leader just because Trump bashing her would help Democrats in 2020.)

      GOP spent too much time reading the very fake Art of the Deal and not enough time on Art of War. Sometimes survival is winning, and survival may require a move to the shade to sit out the battle.

      • A. Rice says:

        I honestly think that all the Republican Senators with any clout are compromised and know it. And in that case why not just let McConnell take the heat for all of them? There’s almost no other reason I can imagine for them sticking by Trump’s side. He’s totally toxic to their political futures, no matter what. They’re not playing to win at this point, they’re playing not to lose.

        • Pat says:

          Well, it’s a nice explanation for why the Republican Senate is so willing to lift sanctions on Deripaska, who is a Member for Life of the NRA.

        • Rayne says:

          If they’re playing not to lose they are doing a pissy job by tying their fortunes to two losers — Trump and McConnell.

          Again, they’d be better off throwing fresh meat out front — one of the Class I senators just elected, one with little baggage, who has 5+ years to work off any bad karma going against Trump will create.

          I think they are all stuck in a loop, thinking like they always have and can’t find their way out, made worse by acting like frightened sheep every time Trump barks. So feckless allowing themselves to be herded by a walking wig stand.

          • A. Rice says:

            Oh, I agree that what they should do, if they were smart, is exactly what you propose. Put someone fresh and unsullied in the leadership while the rest of the dirty bunch go to ground. But they’ll never do that. Even when compromised these guys are all so arrogant and power hungry that they’d never let someone with little seniority or standing take an important role, even as a dodge.

    • Arj says:

      But McC. and other ‘Pubs are also just scrambling to accomplish their own various agendas while they can – a twisted version of ‘making hay while the sun shines’ (even if it’s an eclipse).

  2. Tom says:

    “They seek him here, they seek him there
    Those Democrats seek him everywhere.
    Is he in heaven, is he in hell?
    That damned elusive McConnell!”

    With apologies to Baroness Orczy

  3. P J Evans says:

    Even if McConnell is kicked out as majority leader, they’d likely put in Lindsey Graham, who’s just as compromised.

    • Rayne says:

      Maybe. Still can’t tell if Graham is playing possum with us. He’s also conflicted because he’s up for re-election in 2020. IMO, the GOP Senate should pick someone from Class I which won’t be up for re-election until 2024 — but that’s the smallest 1/3 of their team from which to pick.

  4. BobCon says:

    @PJ Evans —

    There’s the question of being compromised, and I agree that it’s hard to think of a Senator who could win the job who isn’t likely to be reflexively pro-Trump.

    But there’s also the question of effectiveness. There is no way Graham would be as good at running things to the benefit of the GOP as McConnell. Off the top of my head, Cornyn is the only one with the experience and the organizational, personal and fundraising skills to potentially replace McConnell and keep some semblance of control. And that’s not a given.

    I suspect the reason why members as different as Shelby and Collins stick with McConnell is that they fear they’re headed for a Hobbesian state of nature without him. They may not like him, but they downright fear life without him.

  5. Raven Eye says:

    I wish the Ghost of Senates Past would pay a midnight visit to Mitch and dangle a hologram of LBJ in front of him…Just to remind him what a Leader with a spine looked like.

    • Pat says:

      Really, Putin’s habit of poisoning people with whom he’s disappointed is an easy-to-understand prod.

      I wonder if that’s why Trump served fast food, cafeteria-style, at a recent White House event.

        • BobCon says:

          The fear of poisoning theory goes back for a while, at least before the election, but it’s also been attributed to his germophobia.

          He’s definitely a germophobe, although on that front he’s not in Howard Hughes territory and going around with Kleenex boxes on his feet instead of shoes. At least, not yet.

  6. P J Evans says:

    the Ghost of Senates Past
    Fred Clark, at Slacktivist, has a ghost story, run for Fridays the 13th, of Frederick Douglas visiting the, um, intransigent. The last time was in 2015, for the now-president. [We can hope for a visitation like this, to him, and Mitch, and the other non-leaders.]

    • Rayne says:

      Damn it. The next Friday the 13th isn’t until September this year and again in December. That’s too long to wait!

      I think we use witchcraft in the mean time. Everybody plant some lavender for luck and burn some sage with picture of Trump before bed each night.

  7. Trip says:

    Hey look, the toxic amoeba is having a vote today:

    Kirsten Gillibrand‏Verified account @SenGillibrand

    @senatemajldr has scheduled a vote today. No, it’s not to reopen the government and begin paying 800,000 federal workers who’ve gone without pay for 27 days. It’s to restrict reproductive health care coverage. Unbelievable. Stop attacking women. Open the government.
    https://twitter.com/SenGillibrand/status/1085970232148090880

    • Jenny says:

      Women’s rights are still being stomped on.  I am guessing vasectomies are not included.  Just restricting of women’s reproductive health care coverage.  GOP still obsessed with women’s lady parts.

      • Trip says:

        Hi Jenny, IMO the GOP is bent on destroying anything which serves and protects the common good. Wealthy women can still afford birth control. And that’s all that matters.

  8. LP says:

    While I do not believe they are yet directly affected by the shutdown, I wanted to add to the work done by government contractors in KY. Processing for the Affordable Care Act – done in Kentucky. And ironically, visa support services – processing immigrant visas- done in KY (as well as NH). Card Operations Support Services (processing visa cards)  – done in KY. When these folks start to feel the hurt, I sure hope they let Mitch know loud and clear. (full disclosure, I’ve changed my screen name as there was a post recently under the same name by a different person.)

    • Rayne says:

      Thank you for sharing that. You make my point about contractors and the likely impact on communities and state due to the shutdown.

      Sadly, McConnell probably doesn’t care about ACA or visa processing. Hope these government contractors will work to replace McConnell in 2020.

      And thanks for the heads up on your username, completely understood.

  9. Ckymonstaz says:

    OMFG! I just got an email from “The Donald” complaining that mean old Nancy won’t let him have his SOTU because he will speak TRUTH to America & begging for a donation (not to help the federal employees going unpaid of course!) so he can raise 1MM by EOD to prove we care about his wall and should let him speak

    Haha, I’ve never been a registered demon (er um GOP’er) in my life but I just can’t seem to bring myself to unsubscribe from the emails because they are so entertainingly batshit cray!

  10. Lee says:

    Theory

    The Russians hacked the RNC as well as the DNC – but they didn’t release anything. Why? It was more valuable as blackmail. It is entirely possible that the entire Republican leadership is compromised

  11. cfost says:

    From Mitch’s perspective, he’s safe for re-election. So this can be added to the long list of actions he has taken to put Party before country. Remember, he was the one who was against going public with the Trump/Russia intel before the election. That was as lowdown as it gets.

    From DT’s perspective, as long as we aren’t saying words like “conspiracy “ or “criminal,” we are good.

    This is a golden opportunity for the dems to appeal to the Deplorables by finally giving some air to their main complaint, which is really about stagnant wages and their perception, largely accurate, that foreign people have been crossing our borders (illegally), and American citizens have been employing them (illegally) with impunity for decades. Everybody knows what’s been going on, but no one is allowed to talk about it truthfully in a public forum. The first Party to discuss the immigration issues truthfully and honestly, with suggestions for solutions that help all parties, will win the hearts and minds of millions of voters for years to come. It’s time to treat immigrants like human beings, and time to treat those who exploit illegal immigrants like the criminals that they are.

    • Theresa says:

      I’d love to see Amy McGrath run against him. I bet she’d have a great shot and hopefully would be heavily supported/funded.

      • readerOfTeaLeaves says:

        You and me, too.  She has a  young family, but as ex-military, watching what McConnell has let Trump do with respect to Kelly, Mattis, McMasters could perhaps be motivating.  Almost certainly, Mitch has already put out radar and started laying the groundwork in case she decides to run.  But I think that like a lot of us, she just doesn’t scare too easily.

  12. Alan says:

    IMO, Pelosi should have postponed her trip anyway. She should not be leaving the country during the partial shutdown.

    • Rayne says:

      She has to multitask. Right now Trump is counting on us not being able to stop him from undermining NATO, and her trip included a stop in Brussels to deal with the damage he’s doing. Also the military in Afghanistan are served by federal employees — how are they faring, especially since Trump has driven off the SecDef while undermining their current mission?

  13. earlofhuntingdon says:

    Bringing govt to a full stop works entirely in Trump’s interest. He has the perspective of a mob boss: govt can do nothing for him, it can only pose a threat, especially with Bob Mueller and a not entirely controlled DoJ on the loose. Not to mention that anything Trump can do to delay the Dems taking effective control of the House and starting hearings into his misdeeds is a needful thing for him.

    There’s nothing presidential about this president. His concerns are all about keeping him out of the dock and out of prison. Plus, no act is too petty, no reckless endangerment of an opponent is too outrageous to forgo.

    Govt should either shutdown entirely – no mail, no congressional salaries, no TSA, etc. – which would bring howls so loud Trump would concede. Or the Dems should do what they can with the time and money they have to work with.

    The Dems’ most important job, though, is to keep hammering at what they’re trying to do and who is obstructing them, how, and why. The MSM, for example, is still trying to treat this as a both sides do it, he said, she said horse race. Nancy Pelosi seems especially good at correcting that lazy misapprehension.

    • Lee says:

      What is slowly starting to dawn on many people is that under Trump the US is effectively a conquered and occupied nation.  Trump is a Russian asset, whether he realizes it or not.  The US is suffering under the whims of a tyrant, who is cowering in the shadow of a bigger tyrant.  Pelosi is the main leader of the resistance, and she is showing the spine and intelligence required of moral and principled leaders in times that are “out of joint” like this.  People who see the SOTU / Afghanistan exchange as “tit for tat” don’t yet understand the seriousness of what’s taking place.

      OT, but it appears someone else is commenting under the name “Lee”.  I don’t want to promote confusion.  What should I do?  I do so enjoy reading this site (I spend 2 – 3 hours here daily) and enjoy adding my 2 cents every now and again…

    • Pat says:

      Bringing the US government to a full stop also works entirely in Putin’s interest, especially with the noises he is making about Ukraine.

    • william d todd says:

      Am I the only one who has concluded that Trump is keeping the government shut down solely because keeping it closed is what pleases Putin.  The longer the governmnet is shut down, the more damage is done to people who live in the US, the economy, the government of the United States, and the rest of the “free world”.  Putin is enjoying watching the movie that he has written and produced with Trump in the starring role.

      I weep

  14. Yette says:

    WhyMitch – I’m not sure why this is hard for folks to understand, the entire GOP (not just Trump) colluded with Russia during the last election.  They took millions of dollars in “dark money” through the NRA to support electing Republicans.  The GOP must and will support Trump right to the bitter end and beyond, because they don’t want the complete disclosure of their sedition to be outed.  Anybody notice the Butina case has gone silent?  Anyone notice all the “secret” court proceedings going on? Where is that authorized in the Constitution?  The Beltway must protect its hold on power.

    Mitch is simply protecting his caucus, thats all.  These Republicans betrayed their country to retain and secure political power, its that simple.  The United States be damned.

  15. Rusharuse says:

    I declare today “Fuck Trump Friday!”

    Monday mornin’ feels so bad
    Ev’rybody seems to nag me
    Comin’ Tuesday I feel better
    Even my old man looks good
    Wed’sday just don’t go
    Thursday goes too slow
    I’ve got Fuck Trump Friday on my mind

    Gonna have fun in the city

  16. Trip says:

    I’m really worried that, with the wall-hysteria-gov’t-shutdown gambit being utterly politically ineffectual, Trump will consider desperate measures, like attacking Iran. He hasn’t said one word about the terrorist attack in Syria. But with the twisted fucking logic employed by the WH, the sociopathic push for war by Bolton (and Netanyahu), we should be very concerned right now about what could happen. It’s entirely possible that these people will blame the attack on Iran to create an even bigger diversion. Don’t count on Lindsey Graham being anything but a giant drama queen bootlicker, his primary goal is to remain in power, at any cost. McConnell-same.

    If not this, there will be some other entirely crazy thing his aides will seek to manufacture. I’m hoping they will stay at point petty (like what was done with Pelosi), rather than creating something truly dangerous to divert attention.

  17. Trip says:

    Lawrence O’Donnell‏Verified account @Lawrence

    Today @timkaine taught Senate freshmen the difference between a rule and a tradition. Majority Leader isn’t the only one who can call up a bill for consideration. The Kaine Mutiny.
    https://twitter.com/Lawrence/status/1086133689438875648

    You hear that ALL GOP senators, including the dramatic Lindsey? You have the opportunity to ask to OPEN THE GOV’T. Let McConnell object to his OWN party and deny the voice of “the people”.
    Oh, you won’t do that? Then shut your pieholes with bothsides-isms. You had a bipartisan deal including Democrats, then TRUMP WALKED out on a promise.

    For THAT, you are making the entire country suffer.

    • Trip says:

      Lawmakers have given up trying to deal with Trump on shutdown: ‘We are in this horrible purgatory’

      “Glum. Glum. I’m not a glum person. I’m not somebody who gets down. But I’ve been discouraged,” Murkowski explained. “People I work for back home in Alaska are asking me to ‘fix it.’ And it’s hard for one person to fix anything around here. Unless you’re the president. Or the speaker. Or the majority leader.”

      https://www.rawstory.com/2019/01/lawmakers-given-trying-deal-trump-shutdown-horrible-purgatory/

      Not true. See above^. Bring up the bill.

      • Jenny says:

        Hi Trip.  Thanks for the links and info.  I called Murkowski’s office repeating her “glum” statement suggesting she take action.

        Action such as getting all the female Senators and House Reps to go directly to McConnell’s office and protest.  Also call up a bill for consideration.  Order in junk food to talk with colleagues and come up with a plan.  Take a risk, be bold, do something.

        The lack of creativity and action is maddening.  The lack of value for government employees is cruel. Speaks volumes about the “I really don’t care, do you?” GOP party.

        • Trip says:

          They act like they have no power, when THEY DO. Imagine how hopeless the rest of us feel since we can’t personally call for votes, while they won’t even do the jobs they were elected to, with the powers invested in them. Cry babies. Cowering little fools only worried about their political lives.

  18. P J Evans says:

    IMO, Pelosi should have postponed her trip anyway. She should not be leaving the country during the partial shutdown.

    (a) That didn’t stop HIM from leaving for a day for a photo-op with “the troops” in the Middle East. IIRC, he didn’t talk with anyone else, including the diplomats whose jobs are being affected by HIS LOCKOUT.
    (b) That’s part of her job – it was a bipartisan group of Congresspeople, who were going to find out what the effects of HIS LOCKOUT are on actual working US citizens, like the ones staffing the US offices in Afghanistan – where, I remind you, we still have thousands of people.
    (c) This should, if applied fairly, apply even more to us having to pay for flying his wife to Florida for a vacation. Or paying for him to go anywhere else during HIS LOCKOUT.

  19. Trip says:

    @P J Evans, it’s not about US taxpayers footing the bill to deliver Melania’s great escape. It’s that UNPAID secret service workers have to guard her stupid ass while Melania does whatever it is that she does in Maralago (peering incessantly into mirrors and whispering, “Be best” would be my guess).

  20. JeffreyJohn says:

    Hello everyone. I was turned on to Emptywheel by my brother a few months ago. This is my first post. I have nothing to contribute at this time other than a HUGE thank you to all of you for what I read here. My brain hurts in a good way after leaving the site most days. The mainstream media now makes my head hut in a bad way. Keep up the amazing work and I hope to contribute meaningful posts once I feel educated enough.

  21. orionATL says:

    senator mcconnell has a long, successful history of not engaging in give-and-take negotiations when he choses not to, as with obstructing the merrick garland supreme court appointment (with help from senator snake grassley). the political goal there was said to be solidifying evangelical christian support for a republican presidential nominee.
    i suspect mcconnell has a political goal in mind in refusing to bring shutdown legislation up for a vote.

    but, as nancy pelosi has said, “power is never given, it is taken.”

    with that in mind a severe , sustained attack on mccconnel might very well yield a shutdown vote, but it woyld have to be very strong and persistent and it would have to havecas its goal undermining the reasons some kentuckians have for admiring senator mcconnell.

    • Maxk says:

      Possible scenario: McConnell, resentful of Trump’s about-face and wanting to stick a finger in his eye, waits as DJT’s approval sinks, comes out of his shell to lambaste obstinate Democrats, allows vote on bill approved by present House and last Senate, OK’s veto override, crows,”Only I could save you!”.

      • Rayne says:

        Possible. And yet people are already damaged by this and some may sicken and/or die by the time Turtle decides to “save” us. He’s going to own the whirlwind.

      • gsw1943 says:

        I think you are on target; McC is letting Trump hang out to dry over this shutdown as a way to say “Don’t trifle with me.  I got a bill passed that you said you would sign and then, because of Limbaugh and Coulter’s crew, you backed out.  If you want out of this bind, don’t make that mistake again. Ask nicely  and, say ‘please’.”

        McC is unlikely to suffer much in KY for this and, from his position, the Trumpers who get angry nationally aren’t real GOP anyway.

  22. klynn says:

    To end the shutdown, I would give half of the border security funds in exchange for a Green Infrastructure bill to address sea walls, riverine flood walls, leveies etc…I would require a flood impact study of the boder wall as well. And since we have a shortage of workers now, I would add DACA on the bill to insure we preserve green infrastructure workers. In other words…I meet your wall with walls and raise you securing employees through DACA. Spent some time researching this and the fact is, congress has passed legislation in the last two years for addressing flood infrastructure but they have not funded it yet. The rising sea levels is a bigger threat to our national security than illegal immigrants.

  23. Badbaptistwife says:

    I’m late to the party, but I honestly believe there’s a political upside for Mitch here. His life would be a lot easier without Trump – he can get what he wants from some other less bombastic stooge in the Oval. But for whatever reason(s), he can’t take on Trump directly. Then Trump straight up double-crosses him and creates this shutdown. Our Mitch runs the calculations in his head and concludes that the massive political damage Trump will suffer more than outweighs the short-term harm he’ll endure. So he not only lets Trump twist, but he does it while appearing to be a fullthroated, diehard, got your back kinda guy, which will appease the KY Trump supporters he needs. Mitch only does win-win.

    • Rayne says:

      LOL seriously? You think the only guy gatekeeping the shutdown isn’t going to end up owning this?

      Excuse me, I have to get a paper towel to wipe the coffee spray off my display.

    • Jenny says:

      McConnell has an opportunity to reopen the government with a vote on the floor.  To date, no vote.  I would say he has “shutdown” votes to reopen the government.  Mr. Complicit.

      Instead he has followed Trump’s cruel actions inflicting pain, stress and harm on federal employees. The refusal to even put a vote to the floor speaks volumes.  He doesn’t care.

      The lack of value for the government employees is appalling.  McConnell has helped to create and enable “massive political damage” to constituents in his own state and all other federal employees.

      While McConnell lets “Trump twist” he is disrespecting and hurting the people who elected him. A win would be to help people improve their lives, he has chosen to hurt people’s lives.

      McConnell is a taker, only looking out for his own back.

  24. Kansas Watcher says:

    Pretty simple case of painting your self into corner.

    There is no “upside” to this wall fail.

  25. Anon says:

    At the end of the day McConnell probably knows that most of his voters hate him or not, are still going to vote Republican, or not at all. Thus his only real concern is a successful primary from the Trump flank.

    On a policy front he has gotten what he wanted so far, regressive tax cuts, republican control of the senate, and other pro-donor deregulation. And at the end of the day Trump can absorb all the loathing. Hell his wife even made 5 million in cash for getting appointed to the cabinet.

    Even if the shutdown ends Mitch’s career, which I doubt, he is still coming out on top.

    • Trip says:

      That’s true that he doesn’t care. He has dodged constituents before. However, he may have ‘gotten his’ and will sit pretty. But that doesn’t mean that the party is safe, or the members within. Those who don’t take a stand will look very very complicit. And some of them are politically vulnerable. They go, and Mitch loses his power.

  26. Chris Perkins says:

    There is no downside for Mitch in this. He’ll stick by trump during this shutdown until trump or the democrats blink. And those parties (trump and/or dems) are the ones that’ll take the shutdown blame.

    Meanwhile he builds up credit with Trump that maybe he can cash in later. Heck, maybe he’s prearranged that.
    Also unexpected opportunities pop out of conflict all the time. If Mitch keeps his ears open maybe he’ll get something else. He could even end up as the hero in this story.

  27. klynn says:

    @ Rayne re klynn Pentagon Report post (sorry, reply button not working even after a page refresh and phone reboot.)

    Yes, this is the report with a number of glaring ommissions, including the marines as well as the decade long risk analysis. I am not posting the report as an endorsement of the study but as an indicator that climate change mitigation is a vital national security issue. If the GOP are going to make border security out as our greatest threat, military studies say otherwise, even poorly written studies such as the one I linked to. The Dems have an opportunity to focus on the national security part of the “border” screaming and attach other national security concerns re infrastructure that have yet to be funded or fully embraced. I have been writing about the import of national capacity, infrastructure and their role in national security since early FDL days. There has yet to be a countering of these national security issues in comparison to the wall. If the border is being made into a media circus, use that to propel the bigger issues. Do it in a smart fashion to create a win-win bill that reopens the government.

    • Rayne says:

      I suspect we’re going to get the short end of the stick with Kushner and Pence handling the negotiations; a couple items I see mentioned may actually benefit the Trump org directly by allowing them a means for keeping their undocumented immigrant workers. I want all undocumented immigrants to have similar access, not just because it benefits Team Trump. Ugh. Even this must be treated like a negotiation with the mob — what’s in it for them?

      • klynn says:

        Yep, not good to continue to have a mob negotiation. The Dems would be really smart to get in front of this with an infrastructure  focus. There is a damning flood study about the harsh impact a border wall would have on both sides, US and Mexico, and our nation would be responsible.

          • klynn says:

            There is a great interview that aired on NPR from a firm that represents citizens in eminant domain cases  (I’ll post the link) and they said the court fights will last decades.

            • Rayne says:

              Thanks. The money will be *now* but the results won’t be until well after ferret-head fiend has left us. Which makes me ask again why he is so set on this number, and why it’s really not about a wall?

              Have they figured out a way to ferry away some of this federal money as cash to line their escape hatch? ~sigh~

  28. Dan Letterman says:

    Without much explanation for the wonks on this site.  May I just express the following:

    The Democrats MUST legislate out the effects of the “Citizens United” ruling !!

    Democrats must start now with a bill and run on making it law in 2020… because, of course, there will be opposition from “the usual suspects”. But the message to halt huge dark money in elections must get out, just like the abominable “repeal and replace” messaging bills, except this “Transparency in Contributions” bill MUST win.

    • Rayne says:

      CNN, June 7, 2018:

      It’s not clear when McConnell, who next week will surpass former Sen. Robert Dole of Kansas as the longest-serving Republican leader in history, will leave. He is 76 and up for re-election in 2020. He has been leader since 2007. McConnell told the New York Times earlier this year that he plans to seek re-election.

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