From AFL-CIO Press Clips: The Nation: The Stimulus Battle Highlights McConnell’s Pernicious Politics
The Senate majority leader remains the master of obstruction as he blocks the popular $2,000 check.
By JEET HEER
Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell are a study in contrasts, striking emblems of two very different ways to do politics. Trump is a showman and a narcissist, someone who hungers to always be at the center of attention even if his actions yield little results. His mangled attempt to veto the recent stimulus package is prime evidence of how his ability to hold the spotlight is inversely related to success in shaping policy. McConnell, on the other hand, is a creature of the back rooms. He loves to slink in the shadows and cares little about publicity. Rare among national politicians, he’s never shown any signs of wanting to run for president. He’s become one of the most effective American politicians of his era by his cagey ability to game the rules of the Senate, mainly to obstruct Democratic policy and to stack the judiciary in favor of Republican nominees.