Just Skip The Senate To Install A Cabinet, Progressives Urge Joe Biden

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

President-elect Joe Biden faces the very real possibility of taking office with a Senate controlled by Republicans, ready to block him at every turn. Progressive activists say they have a simple solution, at least when it comes to installing his top officials: Just go around Congress.

The Senate is currently split, with two races still to be called and two others in Georgia to be decided in Jan. 5 runoffs.

Allies of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told Axios last week that a GOP-controlled Senate would be willing to go along with Biden’s nominations for his administration, as long as they’re centrists.

But progressive activists say that path would be unacceptable, and they’re already putting pressure on the incoming Biden administration to go around the Senate so that McConnell doesn’t get to decide a Democratic Cabinet.

https://www.yahoo.com/huffpost/joe-biden-cabinet-senate-vacancy-act-104500314.html

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

5. Bernie didn't get the nomination

He's only a Democrat when it's convienient for him. As Biden said he defeated the socialist.

[SlogginThroughIt]

14. No it isn't

Bernie is not a Democrat.

Socialism on the ballot cost us.

I voted for Bernie in the primary.

[Budi]

8. Then Bernie should have won at least 1 of the last two primaries.

But he couldn't even do that.
Voters chose Joe Biden.
Bernie's demands are still irrelevant today. Like yesterday & the day before that.

[SlogginThroughIt]

15. well it ain't progressives underground.

It is Democratic underground. Government serves many different people and interests and that's what makes the Democratic party the best one we have.

[redstatebluegirl]

2. Doing that makes us no different than Trump.

I think Progressives need to calm down a bit and let Joe do what he thinks is best. We did not get a "mandate", we lost seats in the House and we may not be able to win a majority in the Senate. No mandate, so we can't go total left on the country or we will lose even more in 2022. I am growing weary of the progressives to be honest. They don't know how to win anywhere except where it is bright blue. You don't win national elections that way.

[octoberlib]

3. +1

[BusyBeingBest]

6. Biden chooses whom he wants. Mitch says no. Can't get the votes.

Biden installs same person as acting secretary. It's the precedent now, and I'm fine with it.

[lame54]

16. I'm fine with him cutting out the middle man...

Mitch already gave his intentions

Why waste time being told the inevitable no

Start placing people

[BusyBeingBest]

22. Yep-they don't follow the rules, but we have to?

Fuck that noise.

[KG]

19. I lulz'd

[grobertj]

33. Truth!!

[Budi]

4. Pick progs OR ELSE!

🙄

[LakeArenal]

7. Progressives. How did that label become one small part of the party.

We all are progressive. Certainly not regressive. AOCis not our rival. Just because she wants to the same goals a different way.
Having said that.... I don’t need Bernie Sanders telling me what progressive is.

I want Joe to attain his goal. I support this agenda. That is who one the primary and the election.

[LakeArenal]

24. Who? That isn't what I see so I need more. Like names.

[George II]

27. Operative phrase (caps mine) - "WHAT CAN BE DONE"!

[Cha]

28. Exactly, LA.. The labels are just Divisive..

Joe Biden & Kamala Harris Are Progressive and Biden has Won two Important elections THIS YEAR.. IT's his Progressive Agenda that is Popular & he Chose Kamala to take that journey with him.

[George II]

31. My parents, the most "progressive" people I've known, were so decades before the term....

..."progressives" became popular.

They were DEMOCRATS! They were among a group who founded a Democratic Club in Queens, NY (the equivalent to Democratic Committees elsewhere) opposed to the war in Vietnam.

Many so-called "progressives" today could have learned a lot from them.

[Gothmog]

32. I agree

Joe gets to make these selection. I personally do not care what one senator wants

[Tarc]

9. "But progressive activists say that path would be unacceptable". Yea fuck that.

Then "progressive activists" need to shut the fuck up.

Trump bypassed governmental norms and laws routinely to do whatever he damn well pleased, Joe Biden is not the same. I sure as hell hope we can flip those 2 GA seats and avoid this, but if not, the GOP rightfully and lawfully holds the Senate, which has to confirm Cabinet picks.

This is the price of coming up short in 2020; there will be compromise.

[David__77]

10. I agree.

...

[Jeebo]

11. I believe if a president lets a bill sit on his desk for a while ...

... without a signature or a veto, it eventually becomes law. So if a president's nominees sit in the Senate without an up-or-down vote, shouldn't it work the same way? Shouldn't they also be installed after a reasonable amount of time? President Biden should be able to tell Mitch McTurtle, "Senator, you have had my nomination for Secretary of the Whatever for three months and you have not acted on it, therefore my Secretary of the Whatever is now confirmed, not by a vote of the Senate but by your inaction. You have a responsibility and a duty to advise and consent, and if you shirk that duty my nominees are confirmed." Could Biden legally do that with Cabinet and judicial appointments? As I recall, several years ago some people were telling Obama he should consider doing that.

-- Ron

[Sogo]

21. Maybe, but not for three months....

We need to get rolling before then!

[former9thward]

30. No.

People who were "telling Obama" to do that had not read the Constitution.

[ffr]

25. I don't recall any of tRump's cabinet being centrists.

Nuff said. Go around them.

[lindysalsagal]

29. If they won't let him start his administration, then he'll just do what he wants.

These are the new norms: The gop can't complain.

[pecosbob]

34. Bottom line is that courts have already ruled the current DHS chief holds his position illegally

as well as other Trump acting cabinet officials. We need to find a better mechanic than ignoring the law as Republicans seem wont to do.

[Hekate]

35. I'm certainly impressed at Message Removed. Very busy, very adamant--very gone.

Thanks MIRT and/or Jurors!