Burgess Everett

The Senate is only scheduled to be in three weeks for the rest of 2021, with a recess set to start on December 10. There’s almost no chance that schedule holds at this point, with the Democratic majority facing a to-do list more daunting than a Black Friday sales rush. Congress has to fund the government past December 3, pass a massive defense policy bill, finish out a $1.75 trillion party-line social spending bill and potentially maneuver around a US credit default.

On his first day as a newly minted nominee to the Supreme Court, more than a half-dozen swing senators made clear that Judge Brett Kavanaugh will have to say the right things on their policy priorities if he wants to get confirmed. Judge Kavanaugh will have to work to gain the vote of a skeptical Sen Rand Paul (R-KY) over the government’s surveillance powers. Sen Paul is never one to give up his vote easily. And he has serious concerns with Kavanaugh’s views on government surveillance.

The media is covering for Republicans in their political coverage, according to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).

Asked by MSNBC’s Chuck Todd why he won’t allow Republican amendments to an energy bill, Majority Leader Reid shot back that reporters “won’t call things the way they actually exist.”

“One of the problems the press has in modern-day journalism is everything you do is a tit for tat,” Majority Leader Reid said. “What has happened here is the Republicans have stopped everything from happening … you can give me the tit for tat all you want. But the fact is we want to legislate.”

Majority Leader Reid has bristled at any suggestion by the media that he’s responsible for the dearth of amendment votes in the Senate, telling POLITICO to “get a brain” in March when asked about the gridlock.

Todd brought up many of the most common GOP complaints about Reid’s leadership: That the Democratic leader won’t consider Republican amendments, that he’s watered down the committee process and that he won’t allow his members to cut deals. But to each point Majority Leader Reid deflected blame and said Republican filibusters have ruined the Senate, that he’s actually “strengthened” the committee system and that he loves deal-cutters.