Is Mitch McConnell that stupid ??

[kentuck]

He was quoted as saying he couldn't pass anything in the Senate, if he did not know whether or not the president would sign it?

No Mitch, that is not right.

You can pass whatever you want. If he vetoes it and sends it back to you, you only need 14 Democrats to over-ride his veto and it passes over his protestations. It would be nice to get him to agree but this is a law that the people need. It is more important than your relationship with Donald Trump.

What's the matter, Mitch?

Did you just forget? Or did you lose your backbone somewhere? You are supposed to be an independent branch of government - not there to serve Donald Trump or any other President.

Show some spine, Moscow Mitch!

[SHRED]

1. How does he know?

How does he know what the final bill looks like unless he brings it to the floor and they have at it?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Mitch isn't stupid; he's just evil.

He's smart enough to realize that Trump can't be counted on to do what he says he's going to do, and so he doesn't want to risk being left holding the bag when Trump pulls the rug out from under him after he's agreed to a deal. Trump has done that before.

[kentuck]

3. But Mitch is not the most popular guy in Kentucky and Donald Trump can't help him.

And he's up for re-election in November 2020, also.

He is depending on the "gun issue" to save him in Kentucky. The coal miners may not be as supportive next time around and he knows it. Guns are the only thing to get them to change their minds.

[maxsolomon]

4. Moscovite Mitch is an extremely skilled liar.

Everything appears beyond his power, when he has every bit of it as Majority Leader. there might as well not be a Senate.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

13. It's not that

He doesn't want the Democrats to have any victories and/or Trump to have any embarrassments (which is sort of pointless, since he is already quite the embarrassment and laughingstock of the entire planet, but I digress). There may be other unknown reasons as well.

[GoCubsGo]

28. It's just his supporters that are stupid.

He's as much a lying gaslighter as is Trump. The Cult just refuses to believe these assholes are lying to them and gaslightning them.

[applegrove]

5. He's scapegoating Trump. After the NRA convinces Trump to ignore

assault rifles znd any meaningfull legislation the GOP are happy they still have their open wedge issue for the election. Public wants something done so Mitch is pretending he is powerless.

[TheRealNorth]

6. Don the Con has to get approval from Moscow

Before he can give Moscow Mitch the nod to bring it to the Senate Floor.

[applegrove]

7. He could have stopped Odessa shooting:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212434861

[TwilightZone]

8. Won't, not couldn't.

He said he won't put up anything in the Senate that the president won't sign.

Won't and couldn't aren't the same thing. He won't put up anything for a vote that he doesn't already know the president will sign into law.

"“If the president is in favor of a number of things that he has discussed openly and publicly, and I know that if we pass it, it’ll become law, I’ll put it on the floor,” McConnell said."

https://www.rollcall.com/news/mcconnell-no-votes-gun-measures-trump-wont-sign

[FiveGoodMen]

9. We won't impeach because the Senate won't go along

Isn't that about the same?

[Mr.Bill]

25. Not really.

The house needs the Senate's approval for a bill to become law. The Senate and House do not need the President's approval for a bill to become law. They can over ride the President's veto. The House has no such way to over ride the Senate.

[gratuitous]

10. I don't think McConnell is that stupid

But he clearly thinks his constituents are that stupid, and they'll believe this cock and bull story because it pisses off the libs.

[alwaysinasnit]

22. +1000

[bdamomma]

11. Mitch

how far are you up the arse of the Russians and Trump. You jerk.

[malthaussen]

12. Um, I beleve that's bullshit.

It's not cowardice, it's not stupidity, it's a convenient excuse for not doing anything. I imagine one should never believe a word that comes from Mr McConnell's mouth unless it is gloating.

-- Mal

[Maine-i-acs]

14. He gave your wife a cushy Gov't Job

#moscowmitch should sit out of any legislation affecting the President to avoid an obvious conflict of interest

[LanternWaste]

16. He plays the role of Useful Idiot rather accurately.

He knows the role of both chambers very well, he also knows that illustrating any independence would bring a bevy of Idiot trump's tweets down on him.

[Kota]

17. He thinks voters are that stupid.

[uponit7771]

19. +1

[Act_of_Reparation]

18. He's not stupid.

He knows exactly what he's doing and believes it is to his benefit. Knowing his constituency, he's probably right.

[PRETZEL]

20. In this I agree

he's been playing this game for probably 30years. He most certainly knows which way the wind is blowing at any given time.

However, and it would be oh so nice, for once the wind he's riding on is too strong and finally pushes him off that high horse he's been riding.

[Mr.Bill]

29. Imagine spending your entire career

working your way to the position Moscow Mitch holds, the pinnacle of your career, only to spend it kissing a con man's ass in front of the whole nation.

[wiggs]

21. He's compromised and his party is compromised. And they've convinced the rest they are

fighting for their party's existence and to be successful they have to stay together. Mitch has conned everyone just like potus.

If they don't stay together and keep lying and denying reality and protecting their asses, it's mass casualties in the gop...and none of what they are doing has to do with solving problems on behalf of the american people.

[Schmice3]

23. His hard amniote shell relieves him of the need for a spine n/t

[kentuck]

24. :-)__

[Firestorm49]

26. Lose what "backbone"?

[eShirl]

27. He has selective stupidity.

[RockRaven]

30. He is not that stupid, but he thinks Americans are...

Every time he bullshits like that, he's spitting in everyone's face. And still Repukes in KY say "please sir, can I have some more?"

[elleng]

31. 'Couldn't,' or WOULDN't?

[kentuck]

35. He pretended he "couldn't"...

But, as we can see, he can do nothing if Donald doesn't want it done. That just the way he is - a sniveling, sleazy coward.

[procon]

32. His Russian handlers have him on a very short leash.

What compromat do they have on Moscow Mitch? Women, words, wealth? I'm going with money. Where did he get his?

[MrsCoffee]

33. Evil, yes. Stupid, no.

[11 Bravo]

34. No chin, no balls, and no brain.

Who better to serve as the Republican majority Leader?

[ehrnst]

36. He's simply using the tactic that the GOP has used for decades. Don't bring anything up for a vote

where that vote that would cause GOP senators in Blue or Purple states to choose between voting with the party and keeping their seat in 2020.

It's also why he was MORE than happy to put the Green New Deal up for a vote before it was ready - so that Democrats would be put in what he saw as a lose-lose voting conundrum - go on record voting against a Democratic penned bill, or vote for something that was clearly not ready for the floor and give the GOP more ammunition that Dems were so extreme they didn't care about the actual workability of any bill so long as it had the word Green in the name. Fortunately, Senate Dems took a third route, and voted "present' and refused to play his game. However, many outside the beltway did take McConnell's bait, and considered voting "present" to be a smack in the face to ANY progressive climate legislation, when it was actually saving the bill...

It also works in reverse - as we saw in the dozens of "repeal and replace" votes. It gave new GOP reps the chance to put that on their voting record, despite having no chance of it ever passing.

This is why Pelosi is holding votes on Democratic-penned progressive legislation that she knows won't get to the Senate floor.

1. She can call out McConnell on his repeated refusal to move forward with them.
2. Votes can go on Dem reps' records, helping them in their next run for congress.
3. Forces GOP reps in swing districts to go on record voting against them.

Pelosi is using the same tool that McConnell is using in the Senate against the GOP in her selection about what does and doesn't go to the floor. She's weighing the positive consequences against possible negative consequences of forcing any vote.

Any vote that would cause Democrats in swing districts/Red States to choose between voting with Democrats and keeping their seat is something that needs to be avoided if at all possible. This is the scenario that the GOP wants, and they were overjoyed when to see what happened during the Kavanaugh confirmation.

Personally, I'm glad she's using Mitch's own ammunition against him.

[keithbvadu2]

37. Moscow Mitch works for the President?

When MSNBC host Craig Melvin asked Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) if it was appropriate for Nunes, the House Intelligence Committee chairman, to meet with a source on White House grounds the day before announcing he had reason to believe the Trump team was subject to “incidental” surveillance, Yoho insisted it was fine because Nunes “works for the president.” ... Updated Mar 30, 2017

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/devin-nunes-ted-yoho-trump_n_58dd24b8e4b05eae031dad44