The Art Of The Deal

Senate GOP:  We won't shut down the government right before the midterms and basically murder ourselves if you'll block Obama's recess appointments so that we can continue to block Obama's appointments indefinitely afterward.  Deal?

Senate Dems:  Sure, that seems fair!

Senate Democrats agreed Wednesday night to a Republican demand to block President Obama from making recess appointments while Congress is out of town campaigning for the midterm elections.

Democratic leaders have agreed to schedule pro-forma sessions of the Senate every week over the next six weeks, a move that will prevent Obama from making emergency appointments, according to Senate sources briefed on the talks.

Democrats agreed earlier in the day to a Republican demand to cut spending levels for government agencies in order to pass a stop-gap spending measure.

Democrats are eager to get back home to defend their record to voters and they couldn’t do that until the spending bill passed.

Under the law, the president can only make a recess appointment if the Senate is adjourned for more than three consecutive days.

By scheduling pro-forma sessions on Mondays and Fridays, lawmakers can take away Obama’s ability to make recess appointments.

You know, a smarter Senate Dem leadership might have said "You know what, you want to shut down the government right before the election?  Go for it."  And sure, the Republicans would have taken all the blame and it would have been a nightmare right before the election.

Dems folded anyway.

Alas, you go to war with the invertebrates you have, not the vertebrates you wish you had.