Democratic Primaries

The blockage was from four Republican Senators who initially disobeyed orders from McConnell in the matter. McConnell wanted the bill passed as is, and does not tolerate insubordination, at least not insubordination that goes beyond a few short-lived gestures. The grand 'Bernie' speech, stirring as it may have been, can have had no more actual effect than possibly to have given cover for the four Republican dissidents to submit to McConnell's demand for their votes in assent without too much ruffling of feathers all around. Everyone involved, from Speaker Pelosi and Sen Schumer, through McConnell and McCarthy, clear down to Trump itself, wanted the bill passed in the form it was presented, and except when the four Republican dissidents spoke to themselves, they heard nothing from anyone but demands they strike their colors and end their foolishness. Sanders threat, that he would hold up the bill by some manipulation of the rules, was as empty as the gestures of the four Republican dissidents. It would not have been tolerated by leadership of either side, and could not have stood more than a few hours. This is not some Frank Capra movie, grand speeches on the Senate floor nowadays move no one by the time the actual vote looms, and neither side of this showboating kerfuffle had any real threat at their disposal. Without a real threat, there is no leverage, and nothing is moved.





"When things are not called by their right names, what is said cannot make sense. When what is said does not make sense, what is planned cannot succeed. When plans do not succeed, people become uneasy. When people are uneasy, punishments do not fit crimes. When punishments do not fit crimes, people cannot know where to put hand or foot."