'It sucks': Senators fume over McConnell's tight grip

[DonViejo]

The GOP leader promised a free-wheeling Senate. The numbers show it’s been anything but that lately.

By BURGESS EVERETT 04/02/2018 05:00 AM EDT

Republican John Kennedy has served in the Senate a full 15 months — and not once received a roll call vote on one of his legislative amendments.

“I think it sucks,” the Louisiana senator fumed as Congress headed home in March for a two-week recess. The Senate has voted on only six amendments this year. “All I hear is, ‘Well, it’s not done that way,’” Kennedy said of his call for a more robust debate of ideas on the Senate floor. “Well, the way we’ve been doing it for a long time sucks.”

When Mitch McConnell took over as majority leader in 2015 after years in the minority, he vowed to make good on a central campaign pledge of returning to a more “free-wheeling” Senate. And in the early days of his tenure, he did: McConnell presided over open, raucous floor debate on the Keystone XL Pipeline, winning praise even from some Democrats.

But the Senate has reverted to form. The body has taken just 25 roll call votes on so-called binding amendments so far during this two-year Congress, a sharp decrease from the 154 amendments voted on by this point during the 114th Congress under Barack Obama. Each year since McConnell took over, the Senate has voted on fewer nonbudget amendments: 140 in 2015, 57 in 2016, 19 in 2017 and six so far this year.

“There’s a lot of weeks I’m not sure why I show up,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).

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

[Ferrets are Cool]

1. Theres a lot of weeks Im not sure why I show up, said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).

To keep fighting for your constituents? Damn, that sounded defeatist.
Even if you don't get what you want, you MUST keep fighting for it. That what you were hired for.

[CrispyQ]

2. I didn't read it as defeatist at all.

I read it as extreme frustration over McConnell not allowing them to do their jobs.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

3. Me too

I'd probably feel the exact same way. I'd still show up every day though.

[Ferrets are Cool]

4. Glass half full, Glass half empty....

I have always been the latter. Then if something good happens, I am excited. If it doesn't, I am not as disappointed. The election of 2016 notwithstanding.