When you promise the world, you’d better deliver it.
It seems like an eternity ago now, but Senate Majority Leader “Chucky” Schumer did just that -- promise the world -- and now that he’s perched on the seat of power, he’s finding the going is a lot tougher than he’d ever envisioned. To refresh your memory, back in November (2020), “Chucky” said this: “Now we take Georgia, then we take the world.” Possessed with more than his usual amount of giddiness and hyperbolic excess at that instant, Schumer then added, “Now we take Georgia, then we change America.”
The latter quote drew more notice and outrage from conservatives, primarily because Schumer’s words echoed Barack Obama’s prophecy from well over a decade ago, when the then presidential candidate boasted that he sought to “transform” America. Change or transform… both basically equal the same thing.
But when you promise the world, as Schumer originally did, don’t be surprised when lots of people are mighty upset when you don’t come through. The ultra-liberal New Yorker is taking heavy flak from rabid leftist groups these days because he can’t seem to turn his newfound power into progress on the ambitious Democrat/socialist agenda. Democrats did “take” Georgia in early January, when the GOP’s two candidates -- both incumbents -- lost run-off elections to a pair of rubber-stamp Democrats in the Joe Biden/Schumer/Nancy Pelosi/Bernie Sanders mold.
Their senate votes turned what looked to be a 2 or 4-seat GOP majority (51-49 or 52-48) into a deadlock tie (50-50) in the upper chamber. Newly elected (back then) vice president Kamala Harris would tip the balance, placing would be world-changer “Chucky” in the driver’s seat. The always immovable Schumer heartily believed he would take his tenure sitting on the senate throne and run with it. For years he cowered in darkness at the feet of Mitch McConnell. This time it would be different. Or would it?
What happened to the good times? In a piece titled, “Schumer faces cracks in Democratic unity,” The Hill reporter Jordain Carney wrote:
“Schumer, who has touted unity as a crucial asset, will now need to rally Senate Democrats to stick together amid new signs of division between moderate Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and a progressive wing that is increasingly restless five months into the party’s control of Congress.
“Whether he succeeds will have sweeping ramifications for not only President Biden’s agenda, with fights over a slew of policy goals in June and July and separate talks on infrastructure coming to a head, but also the party's message in the 2022 midterm elections. Schumer is up for reelection next year amid constant speculation about a potential progressive primary challenger.
“’It is absolutely his job to be using every tool that he has in his toolbox to unify his caucus and be able to move things ahead. That is the entire mandate that he has as leader. This is certainly not just the Manchin-Sinema show,’ said Mary Small, the national advocacy director for the progressive group Indivisible.”
It’s funny how Small says “Chucky” should use “every tool in his toolbox to unify his caucus and move things ahead.” The mental imagery from picturing Schumer carrying around an actual toolbox is one part funny and two parts disturbing. What would be in it? The Harvard educated pampered man has probably never used a hammer in his life, unless you count the rhetorical one often employed to bludgeon Republicans to inertia.
Or how about a screwdriver to screw over common sense? A maul to pound on political enemies? A tape measure to pinpoint how far he has to go to eliminate his intra-party challengers? A saw to cut the footing out from under anyone who raises a hand to ask him a legitimate question? “Tools” are in the eye of the beholder. Be wary of giving “Chucky” something he might use to stick in your back.
Besides, the same “progressives” referred to in the quote above were more than content to herald the GOP’s RINO holdouts during the Trump era. How many times did the media trumpet the late John McCain’s “courage” and/or Senator Lisa Murkowski’s “fortitude” and/or Sen. Susan Collins’ “principles” and/or Sen. Mitt Romney’s “bravery” to stand against 90+ percent of their Republican colleagues?
It doesn’t take a genius to theorize that Republicans get a big media pump up and shout out whenever they resist their own party, but Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema get a kick in the keister from the journos and ultra-radicals in their own party if they dare declare intentions apart from the liberal establishment’s dreams of total dominance. Sinema in particular is not exactly regarded as a consistent “moderate” -- she’s just hated because of her filibuster stance.
Even Manchin is a pretty solid liberal with a voting record that would not be welcomed by true liberty lovers. Put it this way -- I doubt the West Virginia senator will be invited onto Mark Levin’s show anytime soon. Democrats consider Manchin’s token few votes with Republicans as traitorous and obstructionist, but in most ways, Joe is an ideological liberal, far outside the mainstream of his state’s voters’ views.
To put it another way, Manchin voted to impeach Trump every time the matter was brought before the senate. Mitt Romney was heralded as a hero by the media because he joined with Manchin and all Democrats to vote to convict in February of last year. Duh. Manchin didn’t think himself so conservative back then. Didn’t liberals love both Mitt and Joe for their willingness to stick it to Republicans on that issue?
As far as a primary challenge to Schumer goes, forget about it. Almost certainly there will be a determined Marxist who claims “Chucky” is too “conservative” and put his or her name on the primary ballot (rumors circulate than none other than Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is pondering it) to displace him, but they won’t get far against the longtime Democrat leader. Here's thinking Schumer is much more ferocious and vindictive than anyone on “The Squad” and he’d have the firm backing of both Biden and Nancy Pelosi if the threat ever became serious.
I’m not promising the world (like Schumer did), but I’ll go out on a limb and forecast that “Chucky” isn’t going anywhere. The radical left can dream and aspire all they like, and they’ll huff and puff and blow the House down -- but old-hand Schumer will be the Democrat senate leader for as long as he wants the job, just like with heinous Harry Reid.
Similarly, far-left organizations that are funded by wealthy liberal billionaires could suggest they’ll stop supporting Democrat candidates if the party falls short of all-out Armageddon against common sense and constitutional liberty, but where else would they go? Looney Howdy-Doody wacko Tom Steyer ran for president last year but didn’t earn a single delegate. In contrast, senile dolt Joe Biden ended up with 2716.
Democrats aren’t great at math, but losing 2716 to 0 isn’t a good result. Bernie Sanders had over a thousand; and thirty-something nobody “Mayor Pete” Buttigieg earned 24.
Adding to the Schumer intrigue was Joe Biden’s recent announcement that vice president gal pal Kamala Harris was put in charge of convincing wayward senators to buck up and join with the administration’s efforts to push through their “voting rights” agenda. Therefore, Schumer will be frequently looking over his shoulder to see whether Harris’s limo is parked in front of the Capitol on any given day, but smart folks recognize who’s still in charge.
Biden, Harris and Schumer weren’t the only Democrats pledging the world during last year’s campaign. Every Democrat demonized President Donald Trump and all Republicans for their supposed callous reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, liberals promised they’d deal with “climate change”, pass a jacked-up minimum wage, rain welfare checks down on their constituents (child care, elder care, etc.), deal with those evil corporations, grant amnesty and free healthcare to illegal aliens, repeal the Trump tax cuts, pay for abortions, restrict police powers, squelch religious liberty and ruin the nation’s reputation abroad (among others).
It was a long promise list, including tons of puffery that couldn’t be achieved through legislative means. Democrats always over promise and under deliver. Remember that the next time someone says “Chucky” Schumer might be in trouble. Liberal nature never changes. Bank on it.
Chuck Schumer
Nancy Pelosi
Barack Obama
congressional Democrats
Joe Biden agenda
COVID-19 pandemic
2020 Election
Donald Trump
Democrat Majority
Kamala Harris
border crisis
Joe Manchin
Kyrsten Sinema
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