Hold onto your seats, because this one is absolutely wild. Senate Majority Leader John Thune jetted off for August recess, but not before pulling a move that has conservatives absolutely fuming. As USA Journal reported, the South Dakota Republican arranged pro forma sessions every few days to keep the Senate technically open, which effectively prevents Donald Trump from making any recess appointments while Thune is kicking back on vacation.
Let that sink in for a second. A Republican Majority Leader is actively blocking a Republican president from staffing his own administration. You cannot make this stuff up.
Here is how it normally works. When a president and the Senate majority belong to the same party, and confirmations are stalled, the Majority Leader typically adjourns without scheduling those pesky pro forma sessions. That clears the way for recess appointments, letting the commander in chief work around bottlenecks in the confirmation pipeline. It is the system functioning as designed when one party controls both chambers.
But Thune flipped the script entirely. He is doing the opposition party's dirty work for them. Nearly two years into Trump's four year term, positions still sit empty. The confirmation process that Thune oversees has been painfully slow and, in multiple cases, openly antagonistic toward the president's chosen nominees. Those pro forma sessions guarantee Trump cannot do a single thing about it during a month long vacation.
Before skipping town, Thune huddled with Senators Ron Johnson, Mike Lee, and Rick Scott. They emerged with a shiny new promise: delay the budget resolution until after recess, then immediately vote on the voter ID provision of the SAVE America Act when they return. Sound familiar? It should. Republicans have been swearing they would pass this legislation for months. They pledged to get it done before recess. They vowed to stay in Washington and push it through. Trump personally visited Capitol Hill to pressure them. Seven senators threatened to block adjournment. The president publicly put Thune's leadership role on the chopping block.
And what happened? Thune packed his bags and left town anyway.
The pattern could not be more obvious at this point. When faced with any opportunity to act, this group of Senate Republicans consistently chooses to postpone. There is always another day, always another promise, always another reason to kick the can further along the road. Meanwhile, the clock keeps ticking on this administration's ability to accomplish anything through the upper chamber.
Democrats are eyeing the filibuster. They have their sights locked on the courts and the election system. And the Republican Majority Leader is lounging poolside, having carefully arranged the procedural locks that guarantee Trump stays handcuffed while the Senate sits empty.
With allies like John Thune, who even needs political opponents?
Read more conservative news commentary at: USA Journal News
