McConnell's Headaches Are Just Starting

by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist


Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, the tobacco companies' best friend in Congress, even including Roy Blunt, is strutting around giving interviews and appearing on talk news programs, pontificating about all of the power that the 112th Congress is going to wield.  McConnell, who is primarily concerned with flexing his tongue muscle, has proclaimed that nothing controversial will get across his desk during the up-coming lame duck session of Congress, the one in which the new members aren't yet seated and voting.  And who determines just what is controversial?  Why, Mitch McConnell does, of course!  He is after all, the Republican leader in the Senate.

But while McConnell may feel that he has the world by the nuts, there are a couple of storm clouds gathering on his rosy horizon.  The Republican Party, even though it gained six seats in the Senate, will still be the minority party in that august body - by a tally of 51-47.  And although they were able to completely obstruct the country's essential business in the current Congress with just forty-one votes, life may not be so pleasant with the some of the new arrivals, especially tea-baggers with angry agendas who won't recognize the need to honor the Senate's hoary old traditions - or its hoary old leaders!

Dan Coats is a case in point.  The once and future Senator from Indiana has recently gone on the record as embracing filibuster reform.  Egads!  Republicans favor filibuster reform when they are in the majority and Democrats can screw with them through that process - but they aren't in the majority and won't be even in the 112th Congress.   Stuffy old institutional Mitch is probably stuttering "WTF!" Doesn't Senator-elect Coats know that Republicans are supposed to be in lock-step on every issue - even if they are wrong?  Who the hell does this whipper-snapper think he is anyway?

But the real fun will begin when Kentucky's new Senator gets to town.  Rand Paul doesn't like McConnell and the feeling is undoubtedly mutual.  Reason one has to be that McConnell actively supported Paul's opponent in the Kentucky Republican primary election - Trey Grayson.  Reason two:  Paul feels like he was elected to shake things up.  He is a rising star and will not be happy if McConnell tries to relegate him to the back bench.  Rand Paul is coming in with an agenda, albeit a goofball agenda, but an agenda nonetheless - and if Mitch McConnell gets in his way, well...he may just wind up getting his head stomped!

Break out the popcorn and get comfortable because this is going to be more fun than movie night at Clarence Thomas's place!