Disappointing

Dem Sen staffer told a friend they can't obstruct everything because "obstructing everything" what they fought for 8 years. #vichydemocrats

— Rick Perlstein (@rickperlstein) January 25, 2017

It ought to be fairly simple to articulate that the GOP was obstructing for partisanship, while they must obstruct to preserve the nation. https://t.co/E9RV95e5dH

— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) January 26, 2017

As I said on Twitter yesterday (ICYMI): I was pleased (and said so, often) with how hard Senate Democrats were going at Trump's nominees during confirmation hearings. But it's pointless if they vote for them.

How do you expose that every one of his nominees is an unqualified and dangerous nightmare, then turn around and vote affirmatively for them?

They were going to get confirmed no matter what, so why on Maude's green earth would Democrats give them bipartisan cover? A horrendous mistake.

Senator Elizabeth Warren's absurd explanation for why she voted for Ben Carson, for example. None of it explains why she voted affirmatively to normalize dangerously unqualified nominees. Promises aren't records of competence. It's an incomprehensible decision, after she got him to admit he won't stop the Trump Organization from HUD profiteering. How does she vote yes after that?!

I am pretty good with sussing out political long games that don't immediately appear to make sense, but there is no long game here that I can see. All she had to do was vote no.

And if that resulted in Trump offering up someone worse (as if there could be), then all she had to do was keep voting no.

This is not a normal administration. The Democrats need to fight against it with everything they've got. Hugely disappointing capitulation.

Like, I don't expect miracles. I am keenly aware of and appreciate what it is possible and not possible to do as the minority party. More than most people, I'd wager, I appreciate the value of a strongly worded statement, when the only other realistic option is silence.

But "vote no on nominee whose only qualification is a willingness to destroy the department they're tasked with running" is a low bar. A bar so low, in fact, that I am quite honestly incredulous that Senate Democrats have failed to clear it so completely. Deeply regrettable. Literally.