Mitch McConnell's Strategy To Confront Obama Hits A Wall
Alternate title: Mitch McConnell and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Month
Now McConnell's strategy is facing its first critical test, and it's failing.
Last week the Republican-led Senate voted three times in three days to move legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security with provisions overturning Obama's executive actions to protect millions from deportation. All three times, Democrats united to filibuster it, stopping it dead in its tracks, and leaving Republicans empty-handed.
The conundrum was somewhat predictable. McConnell had relinquished his only surefire leverage — to withhold funds to keep the government running — by promising there was "no possibility of a government shutdown" on his watch.
Without the threat of a shutdown, Democrats had little incentive to play ball, and Obama had no reason not to veto a bill that undermined his major initiatives. Complicating matters further for McConnell, Democrats are steeled by the recognition that voters typically blame the party that controls Congress, not the White House, for a government shutdown. And so Democrats didn't hesitate to filibuster the bill, and the president has been unwavering in his refusal to sign anything that irreparably harms his signature initiatives.
<>
Meanwhile, House Republicans have no intention of bringing up a "clean" DHS bill to bail out McConnell. Such a proposal would likely lose the support of a large majority of the House GOP, making it extremely difficult for Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), who clung to his post last month amidst record defections by his members.
More
Of course, it's all the fault of the Democrats and their knee-jerk obstructionist tactics. It's not fair now that the shoe is on the other foot!
= new reply since forum marked as read
This is one of my favorite hangouts... So many smart people here 
. I hope you enjoy it too.
Annette
I totally agree, a bad day, or month, for McConnell is good for our country!
What a sad situation we're in with the Republican's having the majority. The Dems can stave off the worst of it, and it appears they will with Obama's veto, but some of the legislation will filter through before it's over.
I'm taking every bit of good news to heart when I can. I'm sure I'll need it somewhere down the road to keep me sane!
It's good to see you sporting so many hearts! That made me smile. 
Chambers of Congress! The Senate Dems and President Obama are the only firewall between us and total fascism in our Country. The brainwashing is dangerously close to being completed.
Thank Goodness we have who we have to fight off the sociopathic monsters of greed.
That's sweet, herding cats, about the "sporting of the hearts".. thank you.
Now we have 3 filibusters to Turtle lips 419 in the last 8 years, now its payback time, and if they (right wing republicans) think a deadline on funding is going to work, think again McConnell and as for your right wing hypocrite speaker in the house why don't you and him go and get SOME needed golf lessons, while he sips on his drink at the "COUNTRY CLUB" (and contemplates if its either bourbon or whiskey) which he is a member of and that we the tax payers paid for out of our taxes in salary.
Let's not forget and remind everyone that his band of merry woman and men took 244 days off last year, which has not been lost on the taxpayers.
