Schumer will force a vote tonight to adjourn the Senate until after the election

[DesertRat]

I am forcing a vote tonight to adjourn the Senate until after the November election.

The GOP in the middle of a national election is using an illegitimate process to jam through a Supreme Court nominee to rip away health care from millions.

Democrats are fighting to stop it.

Link to tweet

[SheltieLover]

1. Good!

[BigmanPigman]

2. Can he do that?

Does he have the votes? Does he need votes or is this something he can do alone? Why didn't he do this earlier?

[sfstaxprep]

3. Of Course He Doesn't Have The Votes

The Democrats are in the minority.

[Bettie]

7. Yeah, but it might be a way

for a few of them who are in...tenuous positions to kick the can down the road until after the election.

Yeah, that's probably a futile hope, but I'll hold on to it for a moment.

[DallasNE]

22. It Forces A Recorded Vote

Last edited Mon Oct 19, 2020, 10:35 PM - Edit history (1)

Susan Collins is a likely yes vote. Need 3 more. And the way Trump is tanking and possibly taking others down with them, who knows what might happen. Aren't most of the Senators back home, many campaigning for re-election. Having to go back to D.C. cramps their campaigning so even if it is not successful, as I suspect, it serves a useful purpose.

The Senate has now taken a vote. "Republicans in a 48-42 vote pigeonholed Schumer's request."

If this was a party line vote there were 5 Republicans and 5 Democrats not voting. Since there are only 47 Democrats it would not have matter if they all voted because it would still have failed 48-47. The 5 Republicans not voting were most likely those in tough re-election battles, like Collins, Tillis and Gardner.

[BigmanPigman]

25. I see. Thanks!

[DesertRat]

5. He can do it, but I doubt he'll have the votes. nt

[jaxexpat]

23. Moral victory often goes to the minority.

Morality is, after all, seldom a democratic process.

[Sherman A1]

4. Good!

[Trumpocalypse]

11. FYI

[Totally Tunsie]

6. Good luck, Chuck...sure hope it works!

Sounds like this would be a great time for the Senate to take a little vacation!

[DesertRat]

10. I appreciate his effort but

it would guarantee no COVID relief bill before the election.

[SoCalNative]

12. there won't be a COVID relief bill

before the election anyway.

[flibbitygiblets]

17. That won't stop the lying rethugs from blaming it on us

...which actually might give them something of an incentive to vote to adjourn. The jig is up for Hair Presidente and they all know it.

[Sucha NastyWoman]

29. Tell them once they come up with an acceptable bill that the house has already passed

Then the Senate can come back in session

[James48]

26. I predict there won't be a Covid relief bill

Until there is a new President in office.

The ONLY motivator the President has now is to have something to bribe people before voting.

That’s not going to happen, and once he loses, he’s going to be throwing a tantrum nonstop until he’s physically removed in January. He will refuse to sign ANYTHING after the election. In fact, he may even try and make a run for it to Russia, and get Pence to give him a pardon.

Do not expect ANYTHING from Trump that doesn’t directly help Trump personally.

[onenote]

8. Not really much of a solution.

Even assuming Schumer has the votes to adjourn the Senate -- and he almost certainly does not -- I'm not sure why this is a good idea.

First, it would guarantee that there can be no COVID relief bill before the election, which isn't a good look
Second, when the Senate reconvened after election day, McConnell would bring the nomination to the floor and it will pass.
Third, even before the Senate reconvened, Trump could put Barrett on the court immediately via a recess appointment.

[wnylib]

14. The only thing that I can see would be

accomplished is to put all the Senators' votes on record so people can see which ones want to confirm Barrett before the election. The ones whose seats are up for a vote will risk alienating their constituents if they are perceived as pushing through a justice who will remove health care.

[pazzyanne]

24. + 1 nt

[flibbitygiblets]

19. Re: Point 3, recess appointment would only be until end of Senate session

If tRump loses, he'll still be in office for the 2021 Senate that's sworn in on 1/3/21, but it's looking like Democrats will have the majority.

We can then pull a "McConnell" and not allow a vote until Biden takes office.

[onenote]

20. Nope. Theoretically she could be in office until January 2022 (end of "next" session).

Last edited Mon Oct 19, 2020, 10:36 PM - Edit history (1)

Article II, Section 2, Clause 3, commonly known as the Recess Appointment Clause, provides that "The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session."

Of course, if Biden is elected and the Democrats take the Senate, Biden could immediately nominate someone and as soon as they get confirmed they would replace Barrett. If Trump is reelected and the Repubs hold the Senate, she'd be confirmed. Interesting scenario: Trump reelected and Democrats hold the Senate and refuse to confirm her.

But, again, even under Schumer's proposal the Senate wouldn't be adjourned until January 3, so the republican senate would confirm her as soon as they reconvened.

[aggiesal]

28. I thought that the newly elected senators are sworn in on 1/3/2021? n/t

[DesertRat]

31. The Arizona Senate race is a special election to finish McCain's term.

If Mark Kelly defeats Trump sycophant Martha McSally, he could be sworn-in in November

[onenote]

36. Kelly being sworn in won't stop Barrett's confirmation

Kelly being sworn in would leave the republicans with a the 52-48 majority in the senate. If either Collins or Murkowski abstain rather than vote no on Barrett, the nomination is approved. And even if they both vote no, Pence would be the tie breaker.

[Hekate]

9. Good! Stall any way you can!

[Hoyt]

13. Another sure loser move.

[Mister Ed]

15. Is there a winner move for Senate Dems to make? n/t

[Hoyt]

16. Nope, but why fail at shutting down Senate too?

[Mister Ed]

21. Dunno. I keep hoping he knows more about the Senate than I do.

Probably does, but it wouldn't take much.

[PTWB]

33. There is literally nothing we can do.

Either McConnell has 51 votes or he doesn’t. Anyone telling you we have “arrows in the quiver” is blowing smoke. Our recourse is to expand the Supreme Court or wait until Republican appointees die / retire and hope we have a Democratic president and senate at that time.

[bigtree]

18. McConnell killed the Covid bill

...Muchin, Speaker Pelosi, even Trump was talking more money this morning, but McConnell said no.

[NotASurfer]

27. I wonder how many other things he can force a vote on?

What's the tolerance level for chaos in the Senate these days?

[Vivienne235729]

30. Whether he gets it done or not, AT LEAST he tried. I'll give him props for that.

[Hotler]

32. Don't talk about, pull the fucking trigger and see..

if you hit anything, just pull the trigger.

[mcar]

34. Kick

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

35. Not successful

Schumer moved to adjourn the Senate until Nov. 9, with the caveat that if a coronavirus relief deal was reached by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin that they would return to vote.

"This is the most rushed, most partisan, least legitimate Supreme Court nomination process in our nation's history ... and it should not proceed," Schumer said.

But Republicans in a 48-42 vote pigeonholed Schumer's request. The Senate is expected to come back into session on Tuesday.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gop-blocks-schumer-effort-to-adjourn-senate-until-after-election/ar-BB1abMFI?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=DELLDHP

[Hoyt]

37. I've already voted straight Dem, but what good did this do us?

I know you are just reporting what happened.

[BComplex]

38. Why are the democrats not using a filibuster? Why are they not boycotting?

There are things they CAN do to stop this. Why aren't they doing them?