Is Congress Working Hard or Hardly Working?

Former President Barack Obama and 
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg

When Congress first went back and forth about the passing of the next stimulus package I thought, "ok, no biggie, this is the way Congress is supposed to work".  Both houses of Congress, the House of Representatives and the Senate, are supposed to "check and balance" each other.  They have to both agree on a bill before it becomes a law.  However, we are now approaching month 4 and they have yet to reach an agreement on how to best serve the people during this pandemic.

Do you think an agreement should have been reached by now? Or, should time not be a factor when creating new laws?

During former President, Barack Obama's, term in 2016 Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia  passed away.  President Obama nominated Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court.  However, for 11 months Republicans blocked the vote , which in turn set the stage for  #45 to nominate a Supreme Court Justice within his first two weeks of service.

At the time, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, sited what is known as the "Biden Rule".  A term coined during a 1992 Senate floor speech by Joe Biden, states that "once the political season is under way, and it is, action on a Supreme Court nomination must be put off until after the election campaign is over".

As stated earlier, the GOP- led Senate held their vote for 11 months, during President Obama's term.  Now, with the Presidential election essentially 2 months away, and the passing of, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, announced on just yesterday, Mitch McConnell has stated the Senate will vote on a Supreme Court Nomination by #45.

Should the Biden Rule currently apply?

Some Republican Senators have already stated that they will oppose a vote for a Supreme Court Justice on the Senate floor.  This, leaving Senators in a position not to carry out their voting duties.

Should every Senator vote on a nomination, regardless of the common practice of the "Biden Rule"?

Should Senators not vote if they feel like voting at this time is improper?

Does the constant back and forth (checks and balances) regarding the next stimulus package indicate to you that Congress is working hard or not hard enough?

This is also why voting is important. Voting is your part in the checks and balances of Congress. You elect the officials that represent your interest.  The elected officials are a representation of the majority interests.  How they chose to vote, in situations like this, is a reflection of the interests of the majority of people that voted to put them in office.

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