Willing to oppose Trump, some US Senate Republicans gain leverage

[DonViejo]

Source: Reuters

22 NOV 2016 AT 08:18 ET

It is no surprise that Democrats in the U.S. Congress will oppose Donald Trump but the most important resistance to fulfilling the president-elect’s agenda is beginning to emerge from Republicans on Capitol Hill.

A small number of influential Republicans in the Senate are threatening to block appointments to Trump’s administration, derail his thaw with Russia and prevent the planned wall on the border with Mexico. The party held onto control of the Senate at the Nov. 8 election but by only a thin margin, putting powerful swing votes in just a few hands.

That empowers Republican Senate mavericks such as Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ted Cruz of Texas. Both were bitter rivals to Trump in the 2016 Republican presidential primary.

Paul, a libertarian lone wolf, says he will block Senate confirmations if Trump nominates either former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani or former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton to be secretary of state.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/2016/11/willing-to-oppose-trump-some-us-senate-republicans-gain-leverage/

[pangaia]

1. What is really telling is WHO we now are GLAD are opposing something

a repub president wants to do.

It boggles the mind no more....

The ugly future is here.

[wordpix]

2. welcome to sane governance, repubs

Join with the Dems for sane policies, and you are welcome

[BumRushDaShow]

3. I always considered the "swing" GOPers as

McCain & Collins (and Olympia Snow when she was there although she was replaced with Angus (I)), and more recently Graham & Flake. Would never have put Paul or Cruz on that list as they were good for lockstep voting.

The last time they had both Congressional chambers and the Presidency was between 2000 - 2006 (where the 2006 election gave us back the House). It'll be interesting to see how far the GOP egotists plan to go... or whether they revert back to dutifully lockstep-voting as is their usual practice.

[drm604]

4. How would this work?

The repeal of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, enjoys robust Republican support and would be done through a legislative maneuver that does not require any Democratic support.

What legislative maneuver is this talking about? Democrats couldn't filibuster this?

[moonscape]

5. Reconciliation

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-quickly-could-obamacare-be-erased1/