Cabinet Confirmations

[formerlyak]

Can we start a thread on the confirmation hearings?

[aurora]

Yes.

[aurora]

Here is a good list:

www.npr.org/2020/11/17/933848488/biden-administration-heres-who-has-been-nominated

So far only one (Avril Haines) has been confirmed by the Senate. I know this is slower than usual.

[formerlyak]

aurora, yeah. I deserved that. LOL. I just didn't want discussion of the confirmations to get lost in the daily political threads.

[isabel]

Cabinet confirmations just need a majority vote, right?

[aurora]

Jan 21, 2021 16:56:24 GMT -5 formerlyak said:

aurora, yeah. I deserved that. LOL. I just didn't want discussion of the confirmations to get lost in the daily political threads.

Despite my initial reply, I actually do think this is a good idea. I googled for a schedule and it looks like most haven't been scheduled yet, so there might not be that much to say for a few days while the Senate works out its rules.

[aurora]

Jan 21, 2021 17:02:27 GMT -5 isabel said:

Cabinet confirmations just need a majority vote, right?

According to this article

www.politico.com/newsletters/transition-playbook/2020/11/05/biden-confronts-a-potential-cabinet-obstacle-senate-majority-leader-mitch-mcconnell-791428

D's ended the filibuster on cabinet confirmations in 2013, so you're correct.

Reading the article made me feel so much better about where we are today, with Biden confirmed and McConnell no longer ruling the Senate, compared to right after the election!

[curbsideprophet]

Here is the WaPo tracker.

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2020/biden-appointee-tracker/?no_nav=true&tid=a_classic-iphone

[ohgillian]

Not sure it's the right place, but I'm dropping this awesome Janet Yellen rap here. Scroll down in article to listen to the rap.

www.marketplace.org/2021/01/21/yellen-hamilton-musical-biden-dessa/

[beetea]

Jan 22, 2021 9:40:57 GMT -5 ohgillian said:

Not sure it's the right place, but I'm dropping this awesome Janet Yellen rap here. Scroll down in article to listen to the rap.

www.marketplace.org/2021/01/21/yellen-hamilton-musical-biden-dessa/

" And lift up your mojitos —
'Cause she manages the mint!"

This is spectacular. 🤣

[ohgillian]

Jan 22, 2021 9:46:47 GMT -5 beetea said:

Jan 22, 2021 9:40:57 GMT -5 ohgillian said:

Not sure it's the right place, but I'm dropping this awesome Janet Yellen rap here. Scroll down in article to listen to the rap.

www.marketplace.org/2021/01/21/yellen-hamilton-musical-biden-dessa/

" And lift up your mojitos —
'Cause she manages the mint!"

This is spectacular. 🤣

It's so good! I almost made it a new thread just to share it. 

"She’s the first that’s led

The Council of Economic Advisers, Tresh and the Fed,

She needs a three-sided coin that always comes up heads

To put the triple crown down when she goes to bed"

[VillainV]

Gen Lloyd Austin III confirmed as SecDef.

[Queen Dick, Hibernating Bear]

I only just tuned in to the Klobuchar and Buttigieg show. Where have I been? Can't wait for the new season.

[TBM]

Jan 21, 2021 16:17:18 GMT -5 aurora said:

Here is a good list:

www.npr.org/2020/11/17/933848488/biden-administration-heres-who-has-been-nominated

So far only one (Avril Haines) has been confirmed by the Senate. I know this is slower than usual.

The list/link has been updated

[Roc A Bee]

Is this going to go faster now that McConnell has caved on his filibuster demand?

[seeyalater52]

Jan 26, 2021 15:12:37 GMT -5 Roc A Bee said:

Is this going to go faster now that McConnell has caved on his filibuster demand?

Cabinet appointments were not subject to filibuster so I don’t think so.

[Roc A Bee]

Jan 26, 2021 15:27:07 GMT -5 seeyalater52 said:

Jan 26, 2021 15:12:37 GMT -5 Roc A Bee said:

Is this going to go faster now that McConnell has caved on his filibuster demand?

Cabinet appointments were not subject to filibuster so I don’t think so.

Oh I thought on Maddow last night (before McConnell changed his tune), they said that the Ds weren’t officially in charge of the committees because they hadn’t agreed on the Senate Power Sharing Deal since they are 50/50. Now that McConnell agreed, I was hoping appointments would go faster.

[hocus2]

Jan 26, 2021 15:27:07 GMT -5 seeyalater52 said:

Jan 26, 2021 15:12:37 GMT -5 Roc A Bee said:

Is this going to go faster now that McConnell has caved on his filibuster demand?

Cabinet appointments were not subject to filibuster so I don’t think so.

 It is true that they only need 50 votes for a cabinet official. Until the parties could agree on how to run the senate the old GOP chair's were running each committee and that likely did have an impact on this.

[aurora]

Jan 26, 2021 13:53:55 GMT -5 TBM said:

Jan 21, 2021 16:17:18 GMT -5 aurora said:

Here is a good list:

www.npr.org/2020/11/17/933848488/biden-administration-heres-who-has-been-nominated

So far only one (Avril Haines) has been confirmed by the Senate. I know this is slower than usual.

The list/link has been updated

Thanks for pointing that out!

Still a lot of people awaiting confirmation, unfortunately.

[aurora]

Buttigieg has been confirmed as Transportation Secretary:

apnews.com/article/joe-biden-biden-cabinet-climate-cabinets-transportation-adaccf75c41ecf0b1628c009521d425f

[mbcdefg]

Senate confirms Mayorkas as Biden’s homeland security chief

apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-biden-cabinet-cabinets-immigration-b55d5eef10e3dc36830d85adca67aaba?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter

[Deleted]

Jan 26, 2021 16:46:26 GMT -5 Roc A Bee said:

Jan 26, 2021 15:27:07 GMT -5 seeyalater52 said:

Cabinet appointments were not subject to filibuster so I don’t think so.

Oh I thought on Maddow last night (before McConnell changed his tune), they said that the Ds weren’t officially in charge of the committees because they hadn’t agreed on the Senate Power Sharing Deal since they are 50/50. Now that McConnell agreed, I was hoping appointments would go faster.

I think this is still the case:

www.newsweek.com/lindsey-graham-refuses-merrick-garland-ag-confirmation-hearing-blames-trump-impeachment-1565987

Lindsey Graham refuses to hold Merrick Garland's AG confirmation hearing on the requested date of 2/8, citing the 2/9 start to the impeachment proceedings.  Apparently, until the power-sharing deal is agreed upon, the GOP still holds the power to set the agenda.  I cannot imagine the level of RAGE and hatred Merrick Garland must have for these fuckers.

[mcsangel2]

Feb 2, 2021 18:37:45 GMT -5 @peep said:

Jan 26, 2021 16:46:26 GMT -5 Roc A Bee said:

Oh I thought on Maddow last night (before McConnell changed his tune), they said that the Ds weren’t officially in charge of the committees because they hadn’t agreed on the Senate Power Sharing Deal since they are 50/50. Now that McConnell agreed, I was hoping appointments would go faster.

I think this is still the case:

www.newsweek.com/lindsey-graham-refuses-merrick-garland-ag-confirmation-hearing-blames-trump-impeachment-1565987

Lindsey Graham refuses to hold Merrick Garland's AG confirmation hearing on the requested date of 2/8, citing the 2/9 start to the impeachment proceedings.  Apparently, until the power-sharing deal is agreed upon, the GOP still holds the power to set the agenda.  I cannot imagine the level of RAGE and hatred Merrick Garland must have for these fuckers.

H read someone suggested, since the GOP don't want to confirm Garland, that Biden could just appoint Sally Yates as interim AG. 

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Please let him do that.

[aurora]

I had to go back over a month to find this thread, but it's noteworthy that Merrick Garland had finally been confirmed as AG.

www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/merrick-garland-confirmation-vote/2021/03/10/2ff813a0-80fc-11eb-81db-b02f0398f49a_story.html

Vote was 70-30. McConnell voted to confirm. What's his angle?

[hocus2]

Mar 11, 2021 9:25:35 GMT -5 aurora said:

I had to go back over a month to find this thread, but it's noteworthy that Merrick Garland had finally been confirmed as AG.

www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/merrick-garland-confirmation-vote/2021/03/10/2ff813a0-80fc-11eb-81db-b02f0398f49a_story.html

Vote was 70-30. McConnell voted to confirm. What's his angle?

  McConnell has never said anything about Garland's qualifications. Holding the the court seat open for a year had nothing to do with him specifically. I think it is likely a rush confirmation of Garland would have happened with McConnell's blessing had Trump lost.