A group of liberal Senate Democrats turned the
tables on McConnell by introducing a
resolution supporting Pope Francis’ views on climate change and calling
on the Senate to immediately act.
Senator Al Franken (D-MN) introduced the resolution
along with Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tom Udall
(D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI.).
The Senators wrote, “The Senate stands with Pope
Francis and the scientific consensus that human activity is the primary
driver of climate change; present climate trends are unsustainable; and
immediate action must be taken to significantly reduce greenhouse gas
emissions in order to limit the deleterious effects of human-induced
climate change.”
The resolution was a very clever move by Senate
Democrats to highlight the climate change denial of McConnell and
other Senate Republicans. Because of the Pope’s liberal positions on a
number of economic and environmental issues, his upcoming address before
a joint session of Congress could be very uncomfortable for
Republicans.
Democrats have painted McConnell and the Republicans
into a corner. If their resolution comes up for a vote, Republicans
will have to choose between the Koch brothers and the Pope. Republicans
could be put in a position where they would have to take a vote that
would highlight their extremism by humiliating the Pope in front of the
entire world.
It is always easier to be in the congressional
minority than in the majority, but Senate Democrats have taken using
their power to the level of an art form. Democrats are doing the opposite
of McConnell’s minority say no to everything strategy of gridlock
leadership. Democrats are maximizing their power and using their unity
and collective strength to hit Republicans hardest when it matters the
most.
Who is it going to be Republicans? Will it be the Kochs or the Pope?
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