Donald Trump's nominees are without an iota of doubt the most appalling collection of choices any president has made to lead federal government departments. Multiple Trump picks have already withdrawn, and more may soon follow. Yet the response from Senate Democrats — who will have votes and a voice in the confirmation process — has been remarkably muted. Ask a Senate Democrat about the nominees, and you're more likely to hear "I have some serious concerns" than the far more appropriate "My God, is Trump insane? These are the worst nominees in history!" Many of these Democrats would consider such a response uncivil and undignified; if Trump won't adhere to norms of propriety, at least they will. Worse, they believe that it is politically clever for them to show voters that they seek bipartisanship, even if that desire turns out to be unrequited. "As I have long said, our preference is to secure bipartisan solutions wherever possible and look for ways to collaborate with our Republican colleagues to help working families," Chuck Schumer, leader of Senate Democrats, said on social media. "However, our Republican colleagues should make no mistake about it, we will always stand up for our values." This is a preview of Paul Waldman's latest article. Read the full column here. |
