It's like a scene right out of a Frank Capra movie. Courageous Senate Democrats claimed the floor for the entirety of Wednesday night and into Thursday morning in a mini-filibuster to do battle against the forces of darkness and evil. Or something.
Why are Democrats exhausting themselves, losing sleep. and maybe even missing dinner (although there's scant evidence Democrats would ever voluntarily miss a meal)? They have to try to block Donald Trump's "most dangerous nominee."
It's not who you think Democrats think is the "most dangerous" Trump choice. It's not RFK, nor is it new Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Democrats believe that the mild-mannered, self-described devout Christian nominee for budget director, Russell Vought, is "the most dangerous" Trump nominee.
“Russell Vought was born to make corruption safe again,” said freshman Sen. Andy Kim, Democrat from New Jersey.
Whenever a Democrat from New Jersey talks about "corruption," grab your wallet and lock up your wife and daughters.
Sen. Kim is not sticking to the script. The real reason that Democrats say they oppose Vought is because of his connection to the Death Star plans — er, Project 2025. Vought worked for the Heritage Foundation when Project 2025 was being written.
He is also a "Christian nationalist." This means that Vought wants to infuse Christian values into the government and put a crucifix in every federal office. Well, maybe not that last part, but you get the idea.
Being a Christian evidently means he wants to starve women, children, and old people.
“Imagine a world where Russell Vought and the DOGE team team up, and it’s a team that can do such harm and pain for America,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
“They team up to eradicate the funding they allege is wasteful — what would it mean for the kids at school who struggle to get a good meal? They’ll say it’s wasteful. Or the parents who struggle to pay groceries and the things we do to try to keep food costs down, they’ll say it’s wasteful,” Schumer added.
Flashback to 1981 with the rotund Irishman, Speaker of the House Tip O'Neil, pleading with Democrats in the House to reject President Reagan's budget cuts, claiming it would starve kids and force old people to eat dog food.
Democrats are old dogs with old tricks. Trying to gin up hysteria by exaggerating and lying about Trump's agenda didn't work during the election and won't work now.
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The "mini-filibuster" is bad political theater.
At least three dozen Democratic senators will be part of a 30-hour talkathon in an effort to show they are fighting to stop Vought’s nomination. There’s virtually nothing Democrats can do to block Vought’s confirmation, but they can delay it. While Republicans have a 53-47 advantage in the Senate, Democrats are able to slow down the process in a messaging play to warn about the threat they say Vought poses as the leader of the agency where President Donald Trump is trying to consolidate power.
Vought’s nomination is coming to a final Senate vote a week after an OMB memo came out directing agencies to temporarily halt nearly all federal grants, loans, and other financial assistance to beneficiaries in an effort to determine whether the spending complies with the president’s agenda. The White House rescinded the memo to “end confusion” after it faced legal challenges. While Vought was not technically atop the agency at the time, the White House indicated he was involved in the process.
Wanting to infuse Christian values into the operations and people of the United States government is harmless to the state and religion. Nobody is going to force anyone to worship their god in a particular way, and to suggest that is dishonest.
And as long as Vought can count to ten without using his fingers, he'll probably be an adequate director of OMB.
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