Jay Weber Show transcript 7-26-22
The left-wing Politico has a-very flattering-story on Tammy Baldwin today, as the ‘quiet Midwesterner’ who is going to deliver the republican votes Chuck Schumer needs to pass a same-sex marriage bill that has already passed the house.
The Midwestern pioneer lobbying Republicans on same-sex marriage
It passed the House easily with 47 republicans joining the democrats to protect same-sex marriage in the wake of the Dobbs decision.
It is a completely unnecessary bill that the democrats just want to play politics and ‘gotcha games’ with, and its why Mitch and company should shoot it down in the Senate.
But they probably won’t. At least ten of the 40 republicans will probably cave on it, just because they don’t want to be viewed as anti-gay marriage.
But...apparently Schumer has put Tammy Baldwin in charge of finding the ten republican votes. She already has five...given the ‘normal suspects’ we get on such things. Susan Collins...sure...
Lisa Murkowski...sure....
Rob Portman.... sure.
In fact, he’s helping to lobby his fellow republicans in favor of it.
And she’s got help finding the votes from Kirsten Sinema, too.
I assume they find the votes. But the piece is noteworthy for a few claims-
Including one that says Tammy Baldwin-does not-wear her sexual orientation on her sleeve in dc. She isn’t constantly playing the lesbian care. But everyone knows she’s one... Says the story.
Folks, if that’s the case, it shows a genuine maturity in Tammy Baldwin, because she used her sexual orientation as her-main credential-for winning seats on the Madison city council, and the house of representatives, and when she ran for the senate ten years ago. Her sexual orientation-has always-been the ‘front and center’ feature of Tammy Baldwin and her campaigns.
Her entire career-Baldwin-has-worn it on her sleeve...and has been as insufferable about it as John Kerry telling us he served in Vietnam.
And so, maybe, now that Baldwin has achieved the highest office she is ever likely to attain-now maybe, she’s backed off.
Let’s face it: she’s not ever going to run for president or for governor of Wisconsin-and if-by some shock-she ever did-I can guarantee you that being lesbian would return to prominence as her -main qualification- and her main reason for serving-
Because -gay or straight- Tammy Baldwin has been a useless back bencher in every elected position she’s held.
He was a little more active early in her career, on the Madison common council, when the body had fewer members and she had more to say-but she was one of 435 in congress...and then
One of 100 in the senate. And she is perfectly happy being that.
And I only mention this politico story to suggest that- if Tammy Baldwin cannot even get the votes on this bill...she’s useless as a veteran Senator.
Finding five more republicans to vote in favor of an ultimately useless same-sex marriage vote? Should be a slam dunk.
Especially when she’s not the only one whipping members. But the story portrays this as a ‘big challenge for tammy’.
It shouldn’t be.
No one expected her to be doing it-because it’s a bill invented by Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer that is purely meant for show. The democrats won’t be ‘winning anything’ or ‘changing anything’ for the American people if it passes.
I don’t want to be mean-but come on-
Chuck Schumer has finally trusted Tammy Baldwin with something-and it is to whip a ‘show vote’, and if it fails, democrats and the country haven’t lost anything.
It’s like your dad finally trusting you with the old car because. If you wreck it...no big deal.
And Baldwin must have a serious fan at politico-because the story makes her out to be the Rosa Parks or Golda Meir of the Senate.
Presiding over the senate floor is -literally- having your teenaged kids watch the house for a while: we adults are going out for a few hours...you kids watch the house for a bit.
Presiding over the senate floor is considered drudgery because no one else is there, aside from a few senators who want to read their speeches into the senate record.
You’ve seen the video of the empty Senate chambers with Chuck Schumer or some other senator blathering on...passionately....and talking to no one.
That’s the process the senate has for reading their comments and speeches into the senate record. Its’ not ‘Mr. Smith goes to Washington’ anymore, where all the other senators have to be ‘in chambers’ listening to each other blather. They changed those rules long ago.
Now, most often, it really is an empty chamber with a few staffers in it, technically in session, as the senators who want to read something into the record do so.
Those are the floor sessions Baldwin might be put in charge of for a few hours.
So, lets calm down here.
It’s a lengthy puff piece on a proverbial back-bencher who likes it that way.
And as I say-if they can’t find five more Republicans-out of 35- to go along with this largely symbolic same sex bill...I'll be shocked...and it will mean Tammy Baldwin really does have-zero sway- in Washington DC.
story credit: Politco
photo credit: Getty Images