CMC Congress Course: Politico: ‘It sucks’: Senators fume over McConnell’s tight grip

ABOUT THIS BLOG

I shall post videos, graphs, news stories, and other material there. We shall use some of this material in class, and you may review the rest at your convenience. You will all receive invitations to post to the blog. (Please let me know if you do not get such an invitation.) I encourage you to use the blog in these ways:

To post questions or comments about the readings before we discuss them in class;
To follow up on class discussions with additional comments or questions.
To post relevant news items or videos.

There are only two major limitations: no coarse language, and no derogatory comments about people at the Claremont Colleges.

Monday, April 2, 2018

Politico: ‘It sucks’: Senators fume over McConnell’s tight grip

Mitch McConnell's use of his power as Senate Majority Leader to limit debate, floor amendments, roll call votes, etc. is frustrating both Republican and Democratic senators - especially new senators - who want open debate on key issues. Each year under McConnell, the Senate votes on fewer amendments. Now, senators are beginning to accept this is as the new normal (senators have filed a little over 1,000 amendments through September, while senators in the previous two-year Congress filed over 5,000).

McConnell, who spent years in the minority party and experienced the frustration many are now feeling under his rule, promised that as Leader he would bring back a "free-wheeling Senate."

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/02/mitch-mcconnell-republican-senators-frustration-489762