Trump is out, but government dysfunction persists



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WASHINGTON – Donald Trump left the White House for more than 48 hours, but the political dysfunction, hyper-partisanship and the contentious atmosphere remained in Washington.

Especially on Capitol Hill.

Mitch McConnell, now in the minority, has delayed organizing the Senate 50-50 (like its committees and committee assignments) – unless Democrats agree to keep the legislative obstruction alive.

(Senate Democrats just want to revert to the same power-sharing deal that existed in 2001, the last time there was a 50-50 Senate.)

Republicans argue that a Trump Senate impeachment trial is unconstitutional, while Democrats are pushing.

And all of Washington bickered over the meaning of Joe Biden’s call for unity. (As we wrote yesterday, Biden’s “unity” is to lower the temperature of our politics, not to abandon political goals.)

The problem with the Senate today is that it has become so obsolete for our current politics. How is a body supposed to be a refreshing saucer when few of its members are refreshing saucer politicians?

Moreover, it has become too easy – and too rewarding – to obstruct the Senate. When was the last time a senator was punished for obstructing a law or an appointment?

When the motivation is to obstruct – and not to work in good faith – then you have an institutional problem.

Did McConnell overplay his hand?

That said, it’s very possible that Mitch McConnell overestimated his hand on this 50-50 power-sharing deal.

We get what McConnell is trying to do politically: He wants to divide Senate Democrats, pitting Joe Manchins and Kyrsten Sinemas who are in favor of continuing legislative filibustering against the rest of the Dem caucus and their ambitious agenda.

But Joe Manchin also wants his committee chair, and he is currently supporting Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in his negotiations here with McConnell.

“Chuck has the right to do what he does,” Manchin said. “He has the right to use this to take advantage of whatever he wants to do.”

And when you don’t win Joe Manchin, you aren’t dividing Democrats.

Instead, you unite them.

Tweet of the day

Downloading data: the numbers you need to know today

24,745,446: The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States, according to the most recent data from NBC News and health officials. (That’s 189737 more than yesterday morning.)

411,440: The number of deaths in the United States from the virus so far. (That’s 4,095 more than yesterday morning.)

119 927: The number of people currently hospitalized with coronavirus

289.44 million: The number of coronavirus tests that have been administered in the United States so far, according to researchers from the COVID Tracking Project.

13.73 million: The number of doses of vaccine that have been administered in the United States to date.

58: The number of Trump’s environmental policies Biden seeks to reverse (in addition to two he has already reversed).

$ 278 million: 2020 revenues from various Trump properties, up from $ 445 million the year before.

Biden’s second full day at work

President Biden and Vice President Harris receive a briefing on the economy at 2:00 p.m. ET. Biden comments on the economy and signs executive orders at 2:45 p.m. ET. And White House press secretary Jen Psaki holds a press briefing (with National Economic Council Director Brian Deese) at 12:30 p.m. ET.

The two executive orders Biden plans to sign today would increase food stamps and raise the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour for all federal government employees, writes NBC’s Lauren Egan.

The means of waiver

President Biden’s candidate for the head of the Defense Department, retired General Lloyd Austin, cleared his only major obstacle to confirmation on Thursday. The House and Senate both voted to approve a waiver allowing Austin to lead the department, even though he had not been out of military service for the prescribed seven years.

Austin’s overwhelming waiver passed the House, 326 to 78, and passed the Senate by a vote of 69 to 27. The Senate is expected to vote on the nomination at 10:30 am.

Discussions are still ongoing over other Biden nominees who have yet to receive a vote like Tony Blinken and Janet Yellen.

The cover: fireman

Don’t miss yesterday’s pod, when we looked at a particular line from Biden’s inaugural address and what that might mean for American unity.

ICYMI: What else is going on in the world

Republicans have their own definition of “unity” – and it is likely to hamper much of Biden’s agenda.

Senate Republicans are casting cold water on Biden’s immigration proposal.

Mitch McConnell wants to delay Trump’s impeachment trial until mid-February.

Biden ordered a review of Russian hacking.

Anthony Fauci says he now feels he can speak freely about the science and the risk of coronavirus.

Here is the latest on the dust on housing for members of the National Guard in DC.

Capitol Police are investigating whether a Republican congressman from Maryland attempted to pick up a gun on House floors.

Trump is hiring a legal impeachment team.



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