Joe Sonka December 4th, 2007

(crossposted at BlueGrassRoots and DailyKos, go recommend it!)

Mitch McConnell is currently employing the most cynical and selfish of tactics within the Senate. Mitch finds himself faced with a minority in the House and Senate, where much progressive legislation has passed in the House and been supported by 50+% in the Senate.

But this would certainly make Democrats look good, as they promised to raise the minimum wage, expand health care and shift course in Iraq. And they have had the votes to pass such legislation.

So what's Mitch McConnell's strategy? Block everything. Filibuster everything. And then, accuse Democrats as being a "do-nothing" Congress. Then, hope that the American people are stupid enough not to realize that it is the Republicans that are blocking legislation from passing. The strategy was laid out in public by Trent Lott when he said, "The strategy of being obstructionist can work or fail … and so far it’s working for us." Working for the American people is a far different matter.

And these filibusters have come at a record-shattering pace. In July, the 110th Senate was already on pace to almost triple the record number of filibusters, as you can see in this handy little graphic: (and an incredibly thorough run down here)

And they're still on pace to shatter this record. From the New York Times, we learn that Mitch and his Republican buddies continue to obstruct on an unprecedented level:

So far in this first year of the 110th Congress, there have been 72 motions to stop filibusters, most on the Iraq war but also on routine issues like reauthorizing Amtrak funding. There were 68 such motions in the full two years of the previous Congress, 53 in 1987-88 and 23 in 1977-78. In 1967-68, there were 5 such votes, one of them on a plan to amend cloture itself, which failed.

For policy making, this is the legislative equivalent of gum on a shoe.

It has produced a numbing cycle of Washington futility: House Democrats pass a bill, but Senate Democrats, facing a filibuster by the Republican minority, fail to get the 60 votes needed to end debate. Little wonder that approval ratings of Congress stink these days.

But is this strategy working for McConnell? Are the American people duped by this obstruct and blame strategy?

While it is true that Congress' approvals are abysmal, a look at the numbers shows that Americans are not blaming the Democrats at this point. A recent USA Today/Gallup showed that 54% have a favorable view of Democrats, 37% unfavorable. The Republicans? 40% approve, 50% disapprove. And a recent Washington Post/ABC polled showed similar numbers as the Democrats had a 51% favorable rating to the Republicans 39%.

Want further proof that this cynical strategy is not working? Take a look at Mitch McConnell's plummeting approval ratings, which are an all-time low of 44/47%. Furthermore, his numbers among moderates and Independents in KY are particularly god-awful and continuing a steep downward spiral. People are sick of McConnell's allegiance to Bush and his corrupt party.

But Mitch and his Republican friends in the Senate are going to stick by this strategy: 1.) Block every piece of popular legislation which will help our country move forward. 2.) Blame Democrats for nothing passing and "doing nothing". Forget the negative consequences of blocking such important legislation, just think about driving down Democrats' approvals by dishonestly blaming them.

Too bad for them, people aren't getting fooled and Republicans will have no shelter when the great Democratic tidal wave of 2008 hits. 

Especially the "Grim Reaper" of the Senate. 

• 2008 KY U.S. Senate Race , Filibuster , Iraq War , Mitch McConnell , Republican Party Decline , Senate Minority Leader , U.S. Senate
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