Mitch McConnell's Masterclass in Obstructionism

In a recent funeral service for Republican Senator John Warner, US President Joe Biden praised his bipartisan approach and emphasized the importance of empathy in democracy. However, less than 24 hours earlier, Biden's agenda was dealt a significant blow by Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, who united 50 Republicans to block debate on a crucial voting rights bill. This move has raised questions about Biden's ability to push through his legislative agenda, with progressives accusing him of failing to use his bully pulpit to assertively promote his policies.

Key Takeaways:

• Mitch McConnell, the 79-year-old Senate minority leader, has mastered the art of obstructionism, earning him nicknames like "Dr No" and "Grim Reaper" for his intransigent opposition to the Obama administration.
• McConnell's strategy relies on maintaining unity among a diverse Senate caucus, ranging from moderates to far-right members, who bitterly disagree on some issues. Seven Republicans voted with Democrats to convict Trump at his impeachment trial in February.
• The filibuster, a Senate procedure that requires 60 votes to pass a bill, has become McConnell's best friend, allowing him to effectively veto any legislation outside of budget reconciliation, including gun control, police reform, voting rights, and sex discrimination.
• McConnell's approach is not without its challenges, particularly with the ongoing dominance of former President Donald Trump, who continues to disrupt the party. However, according to Henry Olsen, a senior fellow at the Ethics & Public Policy Center, Trump's lack of interest in policy gives McConnell a free hand in opposing the Democrats' agenda.
• The Biden administration's unwieldy coalition, spanning progressives like Senator Bernie Sanders and conservatives like Senator Joe Manchin, will face significant challenges in passing legislation, particularly with the filibuster in place.
• Despite McConnell's effective opposition, some commentators point out that even as he tries to restore respectability to Republicans, the party's brand remains tarnished by racial divisiveness, voter suppression, and baseless conspiracy theories.

Statistics:

• $1.2tn: The proposed framework for investing in the country's bridges, roads, and other physical infrastructure, reached by a bipartisan group of 10 senators.
• 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans: The evenly divided Senate, making the filibuster a crucial tool for McConnell to block bills.
• 7: The number of Republicans who voted with Democrats to convict Trump at his impeachment trial in February.
• $3tn: The amount of pandemic relief allocated by Congress last year, a rare example of bipartisan cooperation.
• 2017: The year the Republican tax bill was passed, a contentious policy that McConnell is now warning Democrats not to unwind in order to fund infrastructure investments.

Sources:

• "Mitch McConnell is one of the few people in Washington that always has a plan. He isn't making it up as he goes along." - Ed Rogers, a political consultant who has known McConnell for 30 years.
• "Right now I think the Republicans are definitely the more united of the two parties and the Democrats at a certain point are going to boil over because while the first big bill [coronavirus relief] went fine, everything since has not." - Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics.
• "He has a tendency to be able to see five, six, seven steps ahead and I think that's why he doesn't have to exert undue pressure on his colleagues." - Antonia Ferrier, a former spokesperson for McConnell.
• "When you have a 50-50 Senate with the vice president casting a tie breaking vote and you have the smallest House majority since before world war two, you're in a situation where Democrats are going to be the biggest challenge to the Biden agenda." - Antonia Ferrier.