John Thune, the incoming Senate Majority leader (R-SD), has confirmed his agreement with Donald Trump on all options to be considered to have cabinet nominees take their positions.
This means that you can use recess appointments to fill vacancies.
The president can bypass the Senate in the confirmation process by making recess appointments. The Senate is a vital part of the confirmation process for presidential appointments. It ensures that they are qualified and in line with public interest.
The resistance party, however, should be immediately placed on a timeout for their previous behavior upon the arrival of the new administration. Thune appears to be aware of this and says he won’t allow Democrats to use the traditional confirmation process to obstruct either the soon-to-be president or the will of the people.
He should not. You can bet that if the election had gone the other way, Democrats would have forced through cabinet appointments using every tactic possible — including recess appointments.
Fox News anchor Bret Baier asked Thune what a threshold would be for implementing such a measure.
He replied, “All options are available including recess appointments.” I hope it doesn’t come to that. We’ll soon find out if the Democrats are willing to play ball.”
Democrats may be able to support some Trump nominees, but others are unlikely to get their backing. Tulsi Gabrield, as Director of National Intelligence, and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., as Health and Human Services Secretary, are two of the most controversial picks (in their opinion).
The position of Attorney General will probably be the most difficult to fill. Trump has chosen Matt Gaetz, a fiery former congressman from Florida. This choice could draw opposition from both sides.
Thune’s comments will undoubtedly make those who are worried about Trump’s Cabinet picks shiver. He seems unphased.
“These people all have a procedure that they must follow. It’s like a process of advice and consent for all these nominees. This is the constitutional role of the Senate when it comes time to confirm nominations for the executive branch. We take this role very seriously,” said he.
“But also, we will not allow the Democrats to obstruct President Trump or the will of American citizens.”
Or, to quote Rep. Thomas Massie, R-KY, who boasted that recess appointments will be in play: “He is the Attorney General!” “Suck it up!”
This is exactly the type of fight that we need right now and in the future.
In the past, several presidents used recess appointments. Bill Clinton used recess appointments 139 times. George W. Bush appointed 171 people during recesses, including judges whose nominations had been stalled by the Senate. Barack Obama also made 32 recess appointments before the Supreme Court’s 2014 decision significantly restricted this practice.
Trump and Biden did not use the term in their terms.
In a speech he gave on the Senate Floor after being selected as the new Senate Majority leader, Senator Thune laid out his agenda. The speech seemed to suggest that the games are over. He will do whatever it takes to carry out Trump’s agenda.
“The American people gave President Trump and Senate Republicans an overwhelming victory. “Now the real work begins, namely delivering our agenda,” said he.
Thune said that, while he did not mention specific nominees or the process by which they will be put into action, “Members can expect a fast-paced schedule until these nominees are confirmed.”
Knowing the kind of opposition that he will face in his second term as president, President-elect Trump has made recess appointments a key part of his game plan. He expressed this desire while the race for Senate Majority leader was still underway.
Recess appointments (in the Senate!) are required for any Republican Senator who is vying for the LEADERSHIP post in the United States Senate. Without them, we won’t be able to confirm people in a timely fashion,” he wrote.
Sometimes, voting can take up to two years. We cannot allow this to happen again. “We need to fill positions IMMEDIATELY!”
Thune’s willingness to consider all options is commendable. Will he be able to do this when the going gets tough?
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