Opinion of Senator Lamar Alexander's Actions in the DeVos Hearing

[Sorenroy]

Muh precedent*.
*Note: May not be actual precedent.

C-Span Link

[JA]

There have been several breaks from Alexander's supposed claim to precedent. What is a true defiance of precedent is the nomination of an Education Secretary without extensive experience in the education system. This was intentional for the purpose of overriding Democratic concerns and objections, thereby silencing dissent from the minority.

[Sorenroy]

There have been several breaks from Alexander's supposed claim to precedent. What is a true defiance of precedent is the nomination of an Education Secretary without extensive experience in the education system. This was intentional for the purpose of overriding Democratic concerns and objections, thereby silencing dissent from the minority.

I mean, there was never any question about it being an attempt to cut the Democrat's ability to ask questions. It just seems odd to me that you would put politics and procedure over asking questions. And that goes beyond Senator Alexander. I guarantee that some of the Republicans on that committee had actual concerns but chose not to air them because the nominee was of their political party.

The craziest thing to me was that the precedent that Alexander brought up seemed to be based on the precedent that Republicans felt satisfied with a single round of questioning in the past, rather than a precedent of Republicans being denied a second round of questioning.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

There have been several breaks from Alexander's supposed claim to precedent. What is a true defiance of precedent is the nomination of an Education Secretary without extensive experience in the education system. This was intentional for the purpose of overriding Democratic concerns and objections, thereby silencing dissent from the minority.

-stick tap-

Very well put. I know it was talked about heavily when she was first nominated, but the fact that we are not discussing Betsy DeVos as an active threat to public education is sad, frankly. Many of Trump's nominees are unfit to hold the positions that they're nominated for, yet none strike me as more of a threat to destroy the thing that they're supposed to oversee than DeVos.

[Dr. Arch]

I don't know why anyone needed more time. It's obvious that she's not qualified to lead the department, even if her only intention was to preside over its dismantling.