Today’s quotable
Wednesday, Feb 5, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From The Hill…
Frustrations mounted during a tense call last week between Democratic governors and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.). Six Democratic governors, including Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, pressed Schumer to put up more of a fight against Trump’s agenda.
Healey specifically urged Schumer to slow down Senate votes and do more to stir up public opposition, according to The New York Times, which first reported the call.
That produced an exasperated response from Senate Democrats, who spoke on the floor late into the night Wednesday to highlight the impact the funding freeze ordered by Trump’s budget office would have on communities around the country.
“I would say to my friend [Pritzker], as you would like to have a majority of governors, we would like to have the majority of senators. There’s a limit to how much we can we do,” Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.) said.
Discuss.
- Larry Bowa Jr. - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 8:32 am:
Dick Durbin confirming his uselessness is appreciated. I hope people will notice.
- 312Lawyer - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 8:41 am:
If JB wants to stir up public opinion, then declare he is running for Durbin’s senate seat.
Or he can post little retorts from Weiner Circle and throw peanuts from the cheap seats.
- Humpday Harry - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 8:46 am:
The message to Democrats is to “get caught trying”.
- ScaredDem - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 8:55 am:
You can’t tell your base that Trump is a threat to democracy for years then suddenly refuse to use every method to stop him. Your base will just stop turning out if you do that. If you want to protect vulnerable Senators sure, but this is more than that. Anecdotally, me and others have been feeling that Dems like Durbin are more concerned about fundraising & improving their image off of Trump then stopping him. I have seen plenty of people not involved in the gov sphere praising JB & AOC’s actions, while for Durbin they only ask when he’a going to retire.
considering how the national Senate Dems have been performing election wise I’m not sure Durbin should be lecturing people on the best way to retake the Senate. He clearly doesn’t know.
- lake county democrat - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 8:59 am:
Danger Will Robinson! The senate is “speaking on the floor late into the night to highlight the impact the funding freeze ordered by Trump’s budget office would have on communities around the country”!!! How will MAGA ever recover the Laurence O’Donnell and late night CNN audience?!
In other words, JB is right.
- @misterjayem - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 9:01 am:
“then declare he is running for Durbin’s senate seat. Or he can post little retorts from Weiner Circle and throw peanuts from the cheap seats”
Many of us would prefer that he remain the most effective Democratic governor in the union.
– MrJM
- The Dude Abides - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 9:03 am:
Hey Dick - if you want a majority of senators, then DO SOMETHING.
PS not having a majority didn’t stop the Rs from wreaking havoc in the Senate during the last Congress.
- TJ - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 9:04 am:
Yes, there’s a limit to how much you can do. We all understand that, Durbin. But here’s the thing, that limit isn’t next to nothing.
- Flyin'Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 9:12 am:
Durbin, Schumer, call it a day.
Your “fire” is gone. The gloves are off and you ain’t dealing with W.
- low level - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 9:20 am:
==Yes, there’s a limit to how much you can do. We all understand that, Durbin. But here’s the thing, that limit isn’t next to nothing.
==
Specifically, what else do you want them to do?
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 9:22 am:
Honest question, can someone please give examples of what specific things Democratic Senators can do to stop or slow down an administration that is ignoring federal laws?
Stomp their feet? Hold their breath? Hunger strike?
- OneMan - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 9:24 am:
The sooner these ‘old dudes of the Senate’ understand the rules and norms have changed and they are not returning to what they think they should be, the sooner they will have any hope of being useful.
- low level - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 9:26 am:
OK, One Man, again - what specifically would you like them to do?
- I-55 Fanatic - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 9:27 am:
How many times did McConnell use the “but we’re in the minority” excuse? Trump is a threat to democracy. “There’s a limit to how much we can do” just isn’t acceptable. Get creative and come up with something. You people are supposed to be leaders.
- hisgirlfriday - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 9:28 am:
Mitch McConnell ground Obama’s agenda to almost a complete halt in 2009 when Dems had 60 seats.
Throwing up your hands and whining about being in the minority does not fly, Sen. Durbin.
Even yesterday Durbin voted to confirm Trump’s VA secretary pick.
If Durbin and Schumer don’t have it in them to be a leader in a vigorous opposition party then they need to retire and pass the torch to somebody who does.
- TJ - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 9:31 am:
== Specifically, what else do you want them to do? ==
Copy the GOP playbook from 2009-10 and 2021-22. Filibuster as much as possible.
- ChicagoBars - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 9:32 am:
I’d be bummed (and surprised) if Durbin and Schumer didn’t learn how to politicize Senate process after years of watching Mitch McConnell do it. Every policy battle should be a media and procedure grinder in the Senate. Yeah they’ll lose but GOP will have to dedicate more energy to winning each Senate procedural fight and have less bandwidth for other fights.
Speaking late into the night from chambers on C-SPAN isn’t exactly a barn burner of an opposition plan.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 9:33 am:
Ok
No more unanimous consent
Go to an agency or two with cell phone video asking to see what the DODG folks are up to.
Be ready to old school stand up, can I ask you a 20 part question Senate filibuster the next time the Senate tries to do anything
Put a hold on every military promotion above a specific level
Use social media to call out this stuff in simple terms
Next time a senator makes a dumba— statement on the floor rise to ask them what they meant by that.
Go stand in front of things Lutheran Social Services run and point out how they want to defund nursing homes.
They can start there
If nothing else bring the senate to a crawl.
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 9:50 am:
Durbin is technically correct, but I don’t think he’s reached “the limit” yet, or really even come close. His colleague, Brian Schatz, is putting a hold on all state department nominees. Duckworth has talked about doing something similar. Durbin could at least start there.
Things like this are why Pritzker has stolen the state party right out from under Durbin.
- low level - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 9:52 am:
^^ OK, OneMan, very good. I appreciate that. It at least has specific actions listed. That is much better than the usual, vague “do something” we hear.
With some of these people, its almost as if they blame Durbin amd Schumer for what is happening. Personally, I’m not confused. The reason this is occurring is spelled GOP. They hold the gavel in both chambers.
- Mike Gascoigne - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 9:52 am:
I would at least not vote for any of his appointees. None of them will be good for the country. Then get in front of the media and outline all their numerous flaws. RFK, for example, is very not a good person who has displayed the trait of preying on vulnerable populations repeatedly throughout his life. Do not normalize that.
- Chris - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 9:53 am:
Dem Guvs: “Do *something*, please.”
Senate Dems: “We’ve tried nothing and we’re all of ideas!!”
This is the same leadership that didn’t know how to get anything done (other than ACA) in the 111th with 60 votes, so it’s very unsurprising.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 10:02 am:
I think 95% of this would be happening if the Dems had the House.
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 10:14 am:
==If JB wants to stir up public opinion, then declare he is running for Durbin’s senate seat.==
So your message is that if you want IL’s Senate deelgation to contribute to stirring up public opposition to Trump, Durbin’s gotta go?
I, unfortunately, agree, but I wouldn’t focus my scorn on JB for that.
- SpiDem - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 10:16 am:
Just saying the Tommy Tuberville, perhaps the dumbest member of the US Senate, managed to block roughly 600 flag level military promotions for a year while serving in the minority.
Mitch McConnell wreaked havoc on Obama’s first term priorities while holding 41 seats.
Schumer and Durbin were there for all of it. They learned nothing, and they need to go.
- Notatechie - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 10:29 am:
“Durbin, Schumer, call it a day.” It’s time to retire and hand over the reins to those more articulate and motivational speakers. Listening to you speak hurts the soul as its without conviction. Even if someone just stood up and read the bill of rights, MLKs letters from a Birmingham cell that would give more hope and fire to the Democratic base. That is what is needed at this moment.
- Um, no - Wednesday, Feb 5, 25 @ 10:47 am:
Durbin approaching the opposition party role with the energy of an 80 year old.