The four who aren’t Mark Warner are all up this year. Of those four, two were re-nominated in primaries last week, one (Nelson) is being voted on today, and the filing date has expired to run against Heitkamp. Way to motivate your base, assholes!
Republicans control Congress. They could confirm Haspel on their own if they wanted to. Democrats should not be helping them push the football over their own damn goal line.
Her securing enough votes was basically a foregone conclusion at this point, even without any D support. Or am I just missing something.
Rock and a hard place here. Republicans have been the obstructionist party for so long that any compromise for them is trumpeted as a win for the party instead of a win for compromise.
They have literally made it untenable to be the adult in the room. Acting the part of the adult in the room just serves to weaken the Democratic position. What a time to be alive.
Only because Mother said MIke’s been a bad boy again.
The adult in the room wouldn’t vote to confirm a fucking torturer.
The “what are you doing to do? Vote for a Republican” strategy is what led to Trump in the first place. Really starting to worry what hijinks he’ll pull in term 2 
TBH if the Rs ran a libertarian leaning candidate it might be a better choice in the short term - a no war, weed loving congresscritter would be an improvement (especially since no Dems are pushing social services anyways)
Yep, and this is exactly why we need a viable third party (or more). The two party system is so gamed as to be ridiculous. There are the occasional dare I say… Mavericks…, but otherwise everyone is bought and paid for. Your choices are really only which particular flavor of soylent you like.
Then the joke’s on him.
Realpolitik got Democrats into this mess. They need to start vehemently asserting moral positions.
But? I’m out.
See ya later.
No “busy” or “trying” required, the shitshow manifests quite well on its own! It’s like trying to hold back a flood with your bare hands. (Maybe that’s the idea?)
The GOP do not have the numbers in the Senate. Without the assistance of Dem quislings, Haspel would not be confirmed.
When are y’all going to realise that competence is not a virtue when it is allied with fascism?
At this point, anything that weakens the American state is a win for humanity.
This, a thousand times this!
When offered the choice of where to fight, the Dem establishment will always volunteer to do battle on their enemies’ territory and terms. The atmosphere on Capitol Hill is so clubby that even borderline fascist Republicans aren’t necessarily seen as enemies at all.
Susan Gordon (currently Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence) is supposed to be the backup if Haspel doesn’t get through. While her opinions on the dubious efficacy of torture are unknown, she wasn’t a direct participant in it.
Gordon’s focus has been science and technology (including infosec), which is more relevant to the current intel challenges the country faces than is expertise in waterboarding jihadis. Like Haspel, she’s seen as more of a technocrat than one of Il Douche’s toadies.
If the likes of Rand Paul and John McCain can hold out for someone like that, Dems that can’t should be ashamed of themselves.
All you need is a 51% majority vote for Senate confirmation. (You can thank the Democrats for this.)
Courtesy of Rand Paul and McCain, the GOP didn’t have 51%.
Thank you for reminding me to Google “pug” images.
@Wanderfound, who’d have guessed that a British comedy sketch about Nazis would see so much use these days. Sadly all too appropriate.
@Bobo, I wonder if having three or more parties would lower or increase the price of bribing lobbying a Congressman or Senator?
@Lexicat, “Stop the World! I want you to get off.” sounds more like Lucy to me.
