McConnell Pledges to 'Get Senate Back to Normal'

[KamaAina]

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/mcconnell-pledges-get-senate-back-normal-n242106

Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, poised to become the next leader of the upper chamber, on Wednesday pledged to “get the Senate back to normal” after years of partisan bickering and near unprecedented gridlock.

“The American people have spoken, and they have given us divided government,” McConnell said the day after Republicans took control of the Senate by winning seven seats. But he added that it should not mean more gridlock....

“The Senate in the last few years basically doesn't do anything. We don’t even vote,” he said while proposing longer work weeks. ...

He said his attitude towards Obama is "trust but verify," but added that executive action without approval from Congress "is like waving a red flag in front of a bull." It was meant as a clear message to Obama that unilateral action on immigration in the lame-duck session of Congress would only further GOP opposition to him in the final two years of his presidency.

[zappaman]

1. Right.

[bigwillq]

2. "after years of partisan bickering and near unprecedented gridlock"

I think most of that was the Republicans' doing.

I would, however, like to see the two chambers actually get things done and stop acting like 12 year olds. The bickering and gridlock is not helping the American people. We shall see what happens. I won't hold my breath.

[Cleita]

7. Whatever business they get down to, I doubt if it will benefit anyone but their

corporate benefactors. I predict much of the progress we have made, like in health care, gay rights and keeping Wall Street at bay, will be reversed.

[bigwillq]

10. Health care (ACA) may be in jeopardy

I don't think gay rights will be.
Wall St. has never been kept at bay, imo.

[Cleita]

16. Wall Street is going after Social Security. So far it's been kept off limits

but now they will have carte blanche to do it.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. The Senate hasn't been "normal" in a long time

thanks to GOPer obstruction.

[Spazito]

4. LOL, has he checked with his boss, Ted Cruz, yet?

I doubt it.

[Cleita]

5. You mean when it resembles the fourth circle of Hell?

That kind of normal?

[sadoldgirl]

6. Does that mean that

he will allow the Dems to filibuster every bill he proposes?

[Cleita]

8. Of course not. He will send anyone who tries it out of chambers for a time out.n/t

[okieinpain]

12. seriously they should do that for the first year. just

tie up everything. LOL.

[Blaukraut]

9. So basically the President has to work with congress, unless

The President is a Republican and congress is Democratic. Then congress has to work with the President.

[KamaAina]

11. Precisely.

[hedgehog]

13. Obama should go for whatever immigration reform he can order, right now,

before Christmas.

Let the Republicans come in and throw a tantrum.

Any fallout will be gone by 2016.

[hedgehog]

14. Better yet - do it before Thanksgiving -"for the families"

[SoCalDem]

15. The default position for government has been repubican ever since Reagan

There have only been a few deviations from the norm since then..

Clinton (badgered and harangued from day one)
Obama (badgered, disrespected and harangued from day minus-one)

and before them

Carter (relentlessly attacked from all sides ..(see Ted Kennedy), and only got 1 term)
Kennedy (assassinated before he finished 1 term)
Johnson (one term on his own)

In the 62 years from Eisenhower's win in 1952, dems have had the white house for about 29 years, and only Johnson had any really long-lasting accomplishment..and that was accomplished before the war dragged him under..

[KamaAina]

18. "repubican" FTW!

[SoCalDem]

21. I am a crappy typist.. but I think I will not correct it

indeed

[kentuck]

17. So he's gonna fix what he broke?

He's the most abnormal player in the game.

[BumRushDaShow]

19. "he said while proposing longer work weeks. ... "

[jmowreader]

20. This "longer work weeks" thing...elaborate, Mitch.

You mean you're going to come in two days a week now?