Trump Cabinet confirmation hearings **live commentary thread**

[Badger]

Until I have good reason to believe otherwise, I'm going to guess that any Republicans (other than Collins and Murkowski) who claim to be "on the fence" about DePlagiarist are, in the end, going to be good little minions and vote for her. They're probably just saying that they're undecided to make it look like they care about such trivial things as knowledge, experience, and qualifications.

Corbyn said DeVos will have the votes

Collins is full of sh**t too...she could of stopped DeVos but voted YES in the committee then voted NO in the Senate

What a joke

Her office probably got a lot of calls from concerned voters.

bullshyte. this is 100% about her being left off the hook by McConnell counting votes. he needed her for Committee, but now with Pence he's given her the green light to "vote her conscience" (i.e. pander to voters to show what an "independent" she is).

Collins has probably never cost the GOP leadership a single battle from her vote, and probably never will.

[Badger]

Until I have good reason to believe otherwise, I'm going to guess that any Republicans (other than Collins and Murkowski) who claim to be "on the fence" about DePlagiarist are, in the end, going to be good little minions and vote for her. They're probably just saying that they're undecided to make it look like they care about such trivial things as knowledge, experience, and qualifications.

Corbyn said DeVos will have the votes

Collins is full of sh**t too...she could of stopped DeVos but voted YES in the committee then voted NO in the Senate

What a joke

Her office probably got a lot of calls from concerned voters.

bullshyte. this is 100% about her being left off the hook by McConnell counting votes. he needed her for Committee, but now with Pence he's given her the green light to "vote her conscience" (i.e. pander to voters to show what an "independent" she is).

Collins has probably never cost the GOP leadership a single battle from her vote, and probably never will.

What exactly did you disagree with?  Where did I say that Collins is not a hypocrite?

I meant her vote was ultimately based on McConnell's giving her the green light, not constituent pressure.

I think we're both "arguing" two sides of the same coin.

[Badger]

You Manchin haters do realize that he's voting exactly the way that appeases the  majority of his constituents, right?

How does voting for a former Goldman Sachs executive accomplish this?

Dude I don't know, but do you really think he wants to commit political suicide by voting for cabinet picks his voters all hate?  Sure he may make a principled stand and vote his own way once or twice but not on all the picks.

I kinda doubt voting against the likes of Mnuchin would really hamstring his career. Manchin has been able to build his credibility on defying both parties and generally being a populist. How the hell is his challenger going to nail him to a wall for voting against some elitists?

And no, I'm not suggesting he should vote down everyone or even a majority, but at a certain point you have to do wonder how much this vote really matters.

Agreed. Damned puzzling.

[Badger]

McCain is senile

Mr. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle.

[Badger]

Wait a minute. I thought McConnell lifted the 2/3 requirement for a cloture vote on only Supreme Court judicial nominees. Has he done it for ALL judicial nominees?

[Badger]

Wait a minute. I thought McConnell lifted the 2/3 requirement for a cloture vote on only Supreme Court judicial nominees. Has he done it for ALL judicial nominees?

Did he at some point restore it?

Sorry, what do you mean restore it? Again, I thought he had lifted the two-thirds requirement solely for Supreme Court nominees, not all judicial bench nominees. Was I mistaken and a simple majority is all that is needed for all judicial nominees now?

[Badger]

Gingrich passes CLOTURE 75-20:

That's far more bipartisan than I could have imagined.

Ambassador ships are far more traditionally political patronage jobs by both parties. They're not going to get too worked up over it when it's the long term diplomats calling the shots.

[Badger]

Actually, one last nomination:

Confirmed by Voice Vote: Cal. #1048 - William McIntosh to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency @EPA

Those damn partisan Democrats! Holding up every single one of Trump's nominations regardless of qualifications or.... Oh, wait.