Gravedigger of American democracy

Senate Majority Mitch McConnell could have done something to lessen the length of the government shutdown, such as actually be a leader with the country’s welfare in mind. His missing in action through most of the shutdown has prompted commentators to focus attention on him. Here are three progressive views, all from Daily Kos.

Kerry Eleveld quotes and comments on Holocaust historian Christopher Browning. Browning thinks McConnell will be remembered as the “gravedigger of American Democracy,” citing:

* Stoking the hyperpolarization of politics.

* Obstructing the Obama presidency.

* Refusing to confirm Obama’s nomination to federal courts and blocking the nomination of Merrick Garland, thus stealing seats he and the nasty guy are working hard to fill.

* Making the Congress dysfunctional and disrespected and ensuring the judiciary is also dysfunctional and disrespected.

Eleveld concludes:

McConnell, through his degradation of institutional norms, has taught Americans not to trust the very institutions that were devised to protect them and defend the rule of law. In short, McConnell has corrupted our democracy. Exactly how to restore it remains unclear, especially in the current climate, which includes his continued presence as Senate Majority Leader.

Joan McCarter says McConnell has broken the Senate.

Part of the problem is population growth in Democratic states that, no matter how many more people they have, still have only two votes each in the Senate. There used to be an average of 68 votes for a bill and those senators represented about 68% of the population. In 2017 the average was down to 58 senators and those represent only 49.5% of the population. This is minority rule.

A highlight of that minority rule is the last election when voters voted for Democratic candidates 60% to 40%. Yet, they still lost a few seats.

McConnell figures into this because of his ways of getting around the filibuster so that a lot of bills are passed with just GOP votes, lowering the average to 54 senators representing just 47% of the country.

And none of this “both sides do it” nonsense. Back in 2013 with Democrats in control judicial confirmations got support from 80 senators representing 85% of the country. Part of that is because Democrats listened to GOP objections and didn’t bring judges up for a vote that didn’t have strong support.

In our third story Joan McCarter shows us that the collaboration between the nasty guy and Vladimir Putin would not be succeeding if it didn’t have the cooperation of McConnell. He knew Russia was trying to help the nasty guy get elected (and donating to his own leadership PAC) but prevented the CIA from warning the country.