McConnell has 'given up' on Trump's re-election and is making plans to handcuff Biden

[SouthernCal_Dem]

This is very similar to the 2008 Republican playbook where Republicans intentionally handed Obama a shit sandwich and then did everything they could to stymie him.

Remember the screams about how Obama was presiding over a "slow" economic recovery while Republicans were simultaneously blocking any sort of stimulus?

We're about to see it all over again...

In a column for the Washington Post, longtime political observer Paul Waldman pondered the fact that Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell both know that the economy is headed for another collapse due to the coronavirus pandemic unless Congress comes up with another stimulus package — and yet they seem in no hurry to avert the fall.

Viewing their intransigence, Waldman admits it “seems like a crazy question to ask, they face an electoral catastrophe that might be mitigated by easing America’s economic pain,” but they seem more interested in small political victories rather trying to stop the inevitable downward spiral if they don’t step in and agree to another massive bail-out.

<...>

Writing, “He [McConnell} has already given up on the idea of Trump being reelected, and he’s planning for the future,” Waldman said the Kentucky Republican would rather the economy continue to flounder about under the current president and let former Vice President Joe Biden inherit a mess — then blame him if he doesn’t clean it up quickly.

<...>

“From where he [McConnell] sits, the best outcome now may be to use the next stimulus package to win some minor ideological victories, but not allow it to be substantial enough to set the stage for a genuine recovery,” he wrote before suggesting, “… if and when Biden becomes president in 2021, the situation will be no less dire than it is now — and maybe more so. And the worse things are in the country at that point, the better it is for Republicans. Just as they did when Barack Obama was president, they can blame Democrats for their own mistakes, then force austerity measures that sabotage the economy and slow the recovery.”

Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/2020/07/mcconnell-has-given-up-on-trumps-re-election-and-is-making-plans-to-handcuff-biden-columnist/

[gratuitous]

1. Mitch, do your plans for the future include not being in the Senate?

Because from where I sit, that looks like a distinct possibility, asshole.

[HotTeaBag]

8. Yep, and if he blocks the extension of UI benefits and the rest of the Heros act

and/or guts it, he'll be golfing with quite a few ex-Republican Senators next Spring.

[lagomorph777]

14. Do they have golf in white collar federal prisons?

Did not realize that.

[HotTeaBag]

15. Why would he be in prison?

.

[lagomorph777]

16. taking bribes from Putin.

It's going to come out when we have a functioning DOJ again.

[HotTeaBag]

17. Um, OK.

.

[FM123]

24. Moscow Mitch has been rolling around in dirty Russian money for quite some time now...

https://medium.com/@TheDemCoalition/mitch-mcconnells-ties-to-russian-oil-money-db56f16a4824

[ananda]

32. Indeed! I hope McGrath can pull it out!

nt

[dawg day]

2. I hope he's defeated...

or at least the Dems win a majority.

McConnell is a good argument for a parliamentary system, where one party controls for the term, and the other can't pull this sht.

[Nevilledog]

3. Sounds about right.

[jorgevlorgan]

4. The Lincoln project needs to keep their ads going well past January and into the midterms.

If they really do care about this country, they cannot allow these same psychopaths to regain any lever of power after they lose it.

It's funny because I had this exact thought shortly before clicking the link...

[MFGsunny]

11. + 1000 n/t

[jorgevlorgan]

27. That being said, he can say whatever crap he wants, but if Democrats have full control of government

and are willing to think big, they will likely be able to reverse things rather quickly. Maybe that's just wishful thinking lol

[NewJeffCT]

33. I think some of them have burned their bridges with most of the GOP

so will work to purge their party and rebuild it and hope to merge the new party with some moderate Dems.

However, I also think some of them will try to get behind some sane conservative candidates for 2024 (Romney, Kasich, Hogan, Baker in Mass, etc)

[jorgevlorgan]

35. All of those sound fairly reasonable to their agenda...

But nobody should be so stupid to fall for the same strategy they used in 2010...

[Iliyah]

5. Mcturtle may not be majority leader or even in the senate . . .

But at this point in time there are so many stories about republicans possibility of losing the senate and shithole losing that all I can do is keep the eye on the prize no matter what.

VOTE

[Buckeyeblue]

26. Right. McConnell is playing the long game for the party.

They will blame everything on Joe for the midterms to try to win back as much ground as possible. And then for 2024, try to flip everything back. Trump will likely be either dead or informed by then. The kids will be laying low. The name Trump won't even be uttered by Republicans by then.

They figure Joe will get to replace RBG and Breyer. But if the 5 conservatives can hold out, the court won't shift.

Everything has to work out for this strategy to work. But right now it's all they have.

[NewJeffCT]

36. if Democrats can hold hearings on Kavanaugh

and his other sexual harrasment/assault victims, it may have an impact

Unless it's a gigantic blue tsunami, I don't think impeaching Kavanaugh or Thomas will fly - only 1 SCOTUS justice ws impeached and that was 2010 years ago, and he was acquited.

Democrats could also pass a law increasing the size of the federal judiciary - 1/2 judges for each circuit court and 1 for each appellate court. Call it a Judicial Emergency

[Buckeyeblue]

38. I think it would be better to show Trump was illegitimate

And put pressure on his two nominees to step down.

[spanone]

6. that's the kind of 'patriot' that ole mitch is.....

he doesn't give a shit about the nation..not one whit

[Moostache]

7. If we do not take the Senate, that is 100% GUARANTEED to happen...

Makes it even more important to see a colossal blue tsunami in November...I am talking about expanding the House majority, taking back the Senate AND keeping the filibuster DEAD as Dillinger, and getting Biden in the Oval Office.

We also need to knock off some of these asshole governors and state houses too.

THEN...there MUST be a reckoning after this disaster that is Trump 2017-2021. There must be legislation to codify and enforce every 'norm' that has been shattered. There must be prosecutions for Barr and Trump and everyone else associated with their obstruction and their abuses of power and financial fraud. There must be JAIL TIME for Ivanka and Jared and anyone else found guilty.

There IS NO FUTURE without a complete accounting for the recent past this time...no free fucking pass, no 'looking forward, not back'...uh-nuh...not this time. THIS time, I want my pound of flesh and I am going to get it by any means necessary.

[Volaris]

19. '...i want my pound of flesh..'

Completely agree. Let the trumpers scream and cry all they want about witch hunts. When the DOJ under Biden releases the unredacted mueller report and opens their own investigation, they wont have any legs to stand on.

The republicans that enabled this, and actively participated; will not be able to escape the wrath of the american people.

[pwb]

9. Biden will just ignore Mcconnell.

Mitch will get what he gave.

[AleksS]

10. It's what they do. Each and every time.

Hand over a shit show, and complain that we're not cleaning up their mess fast enough.

I imagine (hope!) that Biden has learned from experience and is ready for the shenanigans this time.

Come out the door swinging and swinging hard, and understand he'll get no cooperation and lay that right at their feet.

It's one of the very very very few criticisms I have of Obama, and it wasn't even his fault, per se, but he kept giving Republicans the benefit of the doubt, and trying to work with them and they just kept on screwing him for it. If Biden remembers 2008-2016, (and I think he does) he'll come in fully prepared for this, and realize that THEY DO NOT GET THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT ANYMORE.

[Thekaspervote]

12. So what has changed? The Dems have given them hundreds of bills and he refuses to act

It does look promising that we will hold the majority following the election.

Hoping that Amy whomps him, she’s our best chance

[patricia92243]

13. I think it would be worth it if it got rid of Trump.

[Thekaspervote]

22. Here's a couple of reliable forecasts

https://projects.jhkforecasts.com/senate-forecast/
https://www.predictit.org/markets/13/Prez-Election

[regnaD kciN]

20. "Given up"...? I seriously doubt it.

Remember, the G.O.P. similarly "gave up" on Trump in 2016 after the "pussy-grabber" tape came out. Paul Ryan reportedly told his representatives it was all right to concentrate on their own re-election, even if it meant throwing Trump under the bus, and prominent conservatives announced they wouldn't be voting for him. Within two weeks, they all came crawling back, pledging fealty, and were among his most hard-line supporters.

I have no doubt that, should Biden win but the Republicans keep control of the Senate, we'll see the same stonewalling we saw in Obama's time in office, but I'm sure Mitchie and the gang haven't "given up" on hanging on to the presidency...and that they'll pursue any shenanigans, including contesting even clear-cut election results, if Trump calls on them to do so.

[Bayard]

21. Years ago, I remember reading an article

It was in something like, "Business Insider". Said that Bush Jr. had the dates changed on economic data at the end of Clinton's term to make it look like he owned the good numbers instead. Anyone else remember that? I just did a quick google and couldn't find it.

Its what rethuglicans do. Cheat, steal, blame Dems. Lather, rinse, repeat.

[Doremus]

23. They can't do it if we win back the Senate, keep the House and elect Biden.

The only questions are 1) whether the Dems will have the balls to change the filibuster back to what it was meant to be, and 2) whether they can work quickly to get it all done in 2 years.

They're going to have to work their asses off. If they don't we're still toast because we can't count on the midterms not screwing us over and installing a repuke senate again.

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

25. Another Reason to Donate to Amy McGrath.

Link to Act Blue for Amy McGrath.

[Duppers]

42. Indeed! 👍

[Stuart G]

28. What if McConnell loses? McConnell is a suck up to Trump, maybe Kentucky will evict him.

[FloridaBlues]

29. Senate Dems figure out a way to use all the tools they have to pass bills when in majority

Mitch won't let anything pass as minority leader.

[Wounded Bear]

41. Kill the fillibuster...without that nothing else gets done...

Mitch will ride the breaks exactly like he did in 2009-10

[Yavin4]

30. I hope this article finally puts to bed the myth of bi-partisanship.

The Republicans have little to no interest in actually governing, not even during a crisis. It's past time to govern without them. Stop begging them for votes and move quickly to enact the Dem agenda.

[JDC]

31. If he loses majority, I cannot wait to hear his calls for "bipartisanship"

He is the worst this country has to offer

[Demsrule86]

34. He won't do that...he is still trying for the Senate...and if the economy falters, game over.

[theaocp]

37. It's time to put up a fucking armada of strawmen.

You don't allow Republican scum to have dignity anymore. There are no good ones. They occasionally stumble across acorns of morality/decency, but don't know how to cultivate it. You CAN'T work with them, dammit. Give them OUTLANDISH proposals and then negotiate from there. We won't, but we should.

[malaise]

39. One of these days he'll croak

He's 78 and six months - fuck MoscowMitch!

[KentuckyWoman]

40. McConnell and Gaetz in my very humble opinion

are the 2 most dangerous people in the USA.

Justice Ginsburg is toughing it out because of the Senate, not because of DJT.

[Hekate]

43. Gods forgive me, I hate McConnell and the GOP

And in his own way, he hates America