Here is where both Democrats and Republicans lose me on this appointment logjam. A WaPo story on this latest intra-Republican squabble tonight said this:

The Senate can bypass Tuberville's hold by voting on officers individually, which it has done in only three instances, but to do so now for every frozen nomination would take months and impede action on numerous other issues.

Okay. I get that.

SO DO IT.

I know there are hundreds of promotions backlogged. But what else does the Senate have to do? The Republican leadership in the House is incapable of crafting any legislation that can pass muster within the House Republican caucus and there is no legislation the Senate can pass that will satisfy the same House extremists.

So the Senate should focus on things that are exclusively within its purview and knock them out. Even if they have to sit for twelve hours a day, 30 minutes per vote and get 24 promotions approved per day.

This tactic would do more to aid national security and gradually erode Tuberville's influence than three weeks of pointless navel gazing before the debt ceiling is hit and suddenly lights everyone on fire.


WTH