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Point of Inquiry, Is there a parliamentarian in the house? There may be one or more ways to force McConnell's hand.
by fnordfnordfnord 11y ago
Point of Inquiry, Is there a parliamentarian in the house? There may be one or more ways to force McConnell's hand.
- pvg 11y agoThe president can use a recess appointment. It would probably end up looking worse than blocking a nomination for 11 months so it seems unlikely, if technically possible.
- fnordfnordfnord 11y agoWhat's Obama got to lose?
- waterlesscloud 11y agoA recess appointment would make it an ironclad certainty that a Republican would be elected president. It would make enough voters, including moderates, angry enough that a Democrat would stand no chance.
- fnordfnordfnord 11y agoI don't know. I used to think I was a moderate, and I'd vote for almost any Democrat to keep Republicans from getting two SCOTUS appointments. It's an excellent point though, it would give Republicans a huge issue propaganda win.
- jayzalowitz 11y agoI mean they do have to vote on a recess appointment. IIRC
- fnordfnordfnord 11y agoSenators leave Washington, there are time limits on debate, they may not be able to return in time. Or, if a potential recess appointment is suspected, the Republicans will be spending their holidays in DC.
- esturk 11y agoGood luck with that with 1/3 of Senate going for re-election. Summer is the best time to campaign but if they choose to stay in D.C., that's up to them.
- tptacek 11y agoThe Senate can prevent recess appointments by not recessing.
- pvg 11y agoSure, and, of course, that itself was subject of a recent Supreme Court decision. But it's piling a hypothetical on my already silly hypothetical. He'll just make an appointment as he's already said and reasonably argues is his duty, the Senate will just stall him out, as the majority leadership has already said. I like to imagine he and the Democrats in general might actually end up looking better if that's how it plays out.
- DrScump 11y agoAnd not recessing means sitting Senators cannot campaign. Which party likely benefits from that?
- mikecb 11y agoNo, they have been using a pro forma procedural motion for years that effectively means they are never in recess, but there are untested ways that the President can force a formal recess.
- shawn-butler 11y agoHe would have like 8 or 9 days to do this. Senate will be back from recess on 22 Feb.
- bradleyjg 11y agoThe parliamentarian is an advisor to the presiding officer of the senate, which is either the vice president or in his absence the president pro tempore (by tradition the senior member in years of service of the majority party) or his designee. In any event any parliamentary ruling is appealable to the floor where it is subject to a majority vote. The is the basis of the so-called nuclear option. McConnell's hand can be forced if there is a majority willing to do what it takes to force it. If he has the procedural support of his caucus (even if they disagree on the ultimate question) he can prevent a vote from coming to the floor. Edit: I misread the first sentence. Mea culpa.
- fnordfnordfnord 11y agoThanks. I know what a parliamentarian is and in any case could've found the dictionary definition. I was hoping for suggestions as to what kind of sneaky tricks and shenanigans we could expect if the opportunity presented itself.
- rdancer 11y agoI would hazard the explanation was to the benefit of the less educated readers, such as is yours truly.