re: #229 The Vicious Babushka

OK, I did stop and think about this, and my first takeaway is that Mr. Yelin doesn’t have a good grasp on how the US Senate functions on the partisan level.

That Sen. Schumer was chosen Dem Leader “by acclamation” ought to be one clue: whatever Ben thinks, his fellow Democrats thought enough of his Leadership not to even bother challenging it.

Also, that Chuck’s Leadership “sucks” is highly a matter of opinion. Personally, I can easily see the validity of critiques: Myself, I like Chuck Schumer (he’s my Senator), and think he has done a reasonably good job: but I see him mainly as an “inside guy” - good at the behind-the—scenes gutwork of legislating, but not (like his predecessor Harry Reid was) an out-in-front-of-the-cameras agitator/street-fighter. Which I can see a lot of Dems perhaps preferring. (Me too, FWIW)

The Senate is (AFAIK) a place which runs by its own rules, rules which they usually DNGAF about changing, and where the Majority (as Mitch McConnell has shown us on numerous occasions) can - if they want - run it to suit themselves. How Schumer- or any Minority Leader - can get around the system outside of mere obstructionism is a thorny question.