Chuck Schumer unexpectedly found himself Senate majority leader in early January, and now he’s wrapping up a mostly unsuccessful year.
Serving as party leader is a difficult, unenviable job, and Schumer holds the position without having an actual congressional majority. And so, he’s infamously had to assuage moderates like Sen. Joe Manchin as well as socialist lunatics like Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Whether it’s communication, candidate recruitment, or overall strategy, very few tacticians are as adept as folks like Bob Dole, Lyndon Johnson or Mitch McConnell. Schumer, despite being in politics for 47 years, is clearly not in their class.
The unusual political circumstances of 2021 helped Schumer post a few wins, including the recent bipartisan infrastructure law. But despite all evidence to the contrary, the Brooklyn-born Democrat believes Americans are begging Washington to do even more.
Today would be a great day for President Biden and Vice President Harris to #CancelStudentDebt. https://t.co/OZJVAS1o5e
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) December 22, 2021
Republicans see Schumer as a disingenuous, camera-seeking goon who, unlike Speaker Nancy Pelosi, sets up votes without thinking through his endgame. The party’s negative opinion of Schumer makes it easier for McConnell to rebuke his demands that the GOP provide votes for radical policies.
Schumer’s problem isn’t McConnell, though: it’s time management. Because margins in the U.S. Senate are narrow and unstable, Schumer can’t waste time, especially with campaign season commencing.
Instead of realizing this, he gives stunts priority over legislation.
Earlier this year, Schumer forced Republicans to block debate over the Democrats’ so-called “voting” bills on four occasions, despite knowing the GOP wouldn’t budge. Schumer should’ve realized what every conservative knew: Manchin had no interest in abandoning the filibuster or hurting his constituents to appease coastal elites.
The New York senator seems more interested in catering to the hard left (possibly fearful of challenge to his 2022 reelection bid from his left flank) than in using his time productively.
This year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) also displayed Schumer’s maladroitness.
The NDAA authorizes the defense budget, and Congress has quickly passed it every year for six decades. After the Senate Armed Services Committee passed the NDAA in July, the House passed it in September. But then Schumer stalled it, making an unnecessary deal with Pelosi to debate amendments, including virtue-signaling nonsense to repeal the Iraq War authorization from 19 years ago.
After Thanksgiving, Schumer planned to bring debate on the NDAA to a close, but as usual, the coy McConnell called his bluff and forced additional debate on their desired amendments, sending the saga into December before it finally went to President Joe Biden’s desk last week.
And of course, McConnell and many centrist Republicans outwitted Schumer and the far-left on the Build Back Better social spending bill in recent days.
Related: Mitch McConnell Keeps on Winning
Schumer’s lack of competence or institutional knowledge has led to a backlog of important items on the U.S. Senate floor. In truth, he wouldn’t even have the leadership job if rural Georgians hadn’t staying home in January to protest debunked conspiracies. But nonetheless, Schumer’s first year at the helm will end in confusion, missed opportunities, and unpopularity.
If Republicans can avoid running unelectable populists for the Senate next fall in places like Arizona, Georgia, Ohio and North Carolina, Schumer will be out of a job by this time next year.
