SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
"It's time for Democrats to stop being such gormless chumps, and start matching Republicans' procedural hardball," writes Cooper. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
It's Time for Democrats to Stop Being Such Gormless Chumps
There is nothing responsible about being a prissy rule-follower when you're in a vicious, dirty political brawl.
Oct 13, 2017
One of the most marked characteristics of 21st century political history is the one-sided application of political norms. Democrats have done things like abolish earmarks, adopt "PAYGO" budgeting (in which the long-term stability of the national debt is written into the budget process), and respect the "blue slip" rule, which gives senators a veto over judicial appointments in their home state.
In return, Republicans have shredded those norms the moment they got in the way of their application of power. Word is, they now plan to use imaginary future growth to sidestep PAYGO rules, and it seems likely that the blue slip rule is next on the chopping block.
It's time for Democrats to stop being such gormless chumps, and start matching Republicans' procedural hardball.
This blue slip rule has been dying a slow death since the beginning of Trump's presidency. The rule (which is really more of a tradition than a rule) was a thorn in liberals' side for President Obama's entire presidency -- Republican senators blatantly abused it to keep as many federal court vacancies in their states as possible. Though they didn't use it every single time, it was pervasive -- and as this Brookings analysis shows, it was a significant enough obstacle that oftentimes Obama didn't even bother nominating people for vacancies in Republican states -- yet Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who chaired the Judiciary Committee when Democrats controlled the Senate, continued to enforce the rule.
Read the full article at The Week.
An Unconstitutional Rampage
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
© 2023 The Week
Ryan Cooper
Ryan Cooper is the Managing Editor of The American Prospect. Formerly, he was a national correspondent at TheWeek.com. His work has appeared in the Washington Monthly, The New Republic, and the Washington Post.
One of the most marked characteristics of 21st century political history is the one-sided application of political norms. Democrats have done things like abolish earmarks, adopt "PAYGO" budgeting (in which the long-term stability of the national debt is written into the budget process), and respect the "blue slip" rule, which gives senators a veto over judicial appointments in their home state.
In return, Republicans have shredded those norms the moment they got in the way of their application of power. Word is, they now plan to use imaginary future growth to sidestep PAYGO rules, and it seems likely that the blue slip rule is next on the chopping block.
It's time for Democrats to stop being such gormless chumps, and start matching Republicans' procedural hardball.
This blue slip rule has been dying a slow death since the beginning of Trump's presidency. The rule (which is really more of a tradition than a rule) was a thorn in liberals' side for President Obama's entire presidency -- Republican senators blatantly abused it to keep as many federal court vacancies in their states as possible. Though they didn't use it every single time, it was pervasive -- and as this Brookings analysis shows, it was a significant enough obstacle that oftentimes Obama didn't even bother nominating people for vacancies in Republican states -- yet Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who chaired the Judiciary Committee when Democrats controlled the Senate, continued to enforce the rule.
Read the full article at The Week.
Ryan Cooper
Ryan Cooper is the Managing Editor of The American Prospect. Formerly, he was a national correspondent at TheWeek.com. His work has appeared in the Washington Monthly, The New Republic, and the Washington Post.
One of the most marked characteristics of 21st century political history is the one-sided application of political norms. Democrats have done things like abolish earmarks, adopt "PAYGO" budgeting (in which the long-term stability of the national debt is written into the budget process), and respect the "blue slip" rule, which gives senators a veto over judicial appointments in their home state.
In return, Republicans have shredded those norms the moment they got in the way of their application of power. Word is, they now plan to use imaginary future growth to sidestep PAYGO rules, and it seems likely that the blue slip rule is next on the chopping block.
It's time for Democrats to stop being such gormless chumps, and start matching Republicans' procedural hardball.
This blue slip rule has been dying a slow death since the beginning of Trump's presidency. The rule (which is really more of a tradition than a rule) was a thorn in liberals' side for President Obama's entire presidency -- Republican senators blatantly abused it to keep as many federal court vacancies in their states as possible. Though they didn't use it every single time, it was pervasive -- and as this Brookings analysis shows, it was a significant enough obstacle that oftentimes Obama didn't even bother nominating people for vacancies in Republican states -- yet Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who chaired the Judiciary Committee when Democrats controlled the Senate, continued to enforce the rule.
Read the full article at The Week.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.