As Republicans and Trump supporters recover from the massive adrenalin rush that was Inauguration Day, Democrats are in for a four-year-long, rough road of facing the consequences of losing the 2024 presidential election. They are now living with the fact that the American people soundly rejected their policies for a man they repeatedly smeared as “Hitler” and a fascist during the last few weeks of the campaign. As Donald Trump’s cabinet picks wind their way through the Senate confirmation process, Democrats just can’t quit their childish, petty behavior and are now engaging in new tactics.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) is the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and chairman of the Senate GOP conference. Cotton says that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is behind the slow-walking of confirmations of Trump’s cabinet nominees. As of Inauguration Day on Monday, the only nominee to be confirmed was Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) as Trump’s Secretary of State. Rubio was sworn in by Vice President J.D. Vance on Tuesday morning. Many of Trump’s other cabinet nominees presumably have the votes to be confirmed, including CIA Director nominee John Ratcliffe, Treasury Secretary nominee Scott Bessent, Homeland Security nominee Kristi Noem, and Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth. Cotton goes on to say that Democrats are using Senate floor procedures to put the breaks on subsequent confirmations.
But Cotton is having none of it. He stated that if Democrats don’t knock it off, in the future, he will invoke what he is calling “The Schumer Precedent.” He described it this way,
“Chuck Schumer is playing with fire with these nominations. If all they allow is Marco Rubio to be confirmed tonight, they’ll be setting the Schumer Precedent. For as long as I’m [in] a US Senator, no Democrat POTUS will get more than one day one official confirmed, regardless of resume or merit.”
While those mentioned above have had hearings, others are still waiting. One of those is former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who is Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The reason given for Gabbard’s delay in getting a hearing is a procedural ongoing FBI background check. But the holdup for scheduling Gabbard’s hearing could be an example of Democrat shenanigans. Per Committee rules, a confirmation hearing cannot be held until seven days after the “background questionnaire, financial disclosure statement, and responses to additional pre-hearing questions” are received by the Committee.
All of this game-playing is further proof that Democrats, like their media brethren, can never quite see into the future. While they are busy wallowing in the prospect of another four years of Trump, they are not realizing that, at some point, if they get it together, there will be another Democrat President who has Cabinet nominees. Any future Senate Republicans would now be well within their rights to convey this thought to that future Democrat President, “nice cabinet nominees you got there. Would be a shame if their confirmation hearings got held up…”
Republicans could have other worries besides Chuck Schumer and the gang being sore losers. The American people unequivocably gave Donald Trump and, by extension, House and Senate Republicans, a clear mandate. If GOP Senators are not willing to grow a spine and figure out a way to put an end to Senate Democrats’ buffoonery, they will certainly hear about it from constituents.
It is a pretty safe bet that this is a preview of the next four years. Senate Republicans had better get used to herding the cats.
