For the first time in the history of this country, a vice president had to break a tie vote (50-50) on a cabinet nomination.
The nominee was Betsy DeVos. The tie was because two Republicans, Sen. Susan Collins (ME) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK) voted against their party.
In back-to-back floor speeches, the lawmakers said Ms. DeVos was unqualified because of a lack of familiarity with public schools and with laws meant to protect students, despite her passion for helping them.
Shout-outs to these two Senators have already begun. They are misplaced.
Had either of these senators — Collins or Murkowski — voted against DeVos in committee, her nomination would never have come before the Senate.
DeVos “passed” the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee on a 12-11 party-line vote. Collins and Murkowski both voted to RECOMMEND that DeVos be elevated to Secretary of Education.
Nothing has “come out” about DeVos in the week between the committee vote and the full Senate vote that is “new”. If DeVos is unqualified today, as both Senators contend, she was unqualified then.
In other words, Collins and Murkowski have a lot of explaining to do to their constituents. And the nation. Because the work of Congress takes place in committee.
Senators and Representatives cannot have subject matter expertise — or subject matter staff — on every issue that comes before the legislative body. They delegate those tasks to other legislators, just like voters delegate subject matter expertise to elected representatives. The world is too complex for anyone to know everything about everything.
Although Collins and Murkowski bear responsibility for the HELP Committee recommendation, GOP moderates bear responsibility for her being elevated to a position that she seems qualified for only by virtue of her $200 million gift to the GOP. Lust for power trumps common sense, much less common decency.
No swamps are being drained.
Neither Collins nor Murkowski stand for re-election in 2018.
Photo credit: official Senate photos of Collins (in blue) and Murkowski (in red).
10 replies on “Collins and Murkowski bear responsibility for Betsy DeVos being Education Secretary”
RT @kegill: Collins and Murkowski bear responsibility for DeVos being Education Secretary https://t.co/L74K8k1eve https://t.co/Cuh7SiipGl
RT @kegill: Pls tell those applauding @SenatorCollins @lisamurkowski that adulation is misplaced
YES vote in committee, 12-11
https://t.co/…
Pls tell those applauding @SenatorCollins @lisamurkowski that adulation is misplaced
YES vote in committee, 12-11
https://t.co/L74K8kiPmM
RT @kegill: @tia6sc Collins & Murkowski voted YES in committee
Their party-line vote put nomination before Senate.
https://t.co/L74K8k1eve
RT @kegill: Do not be proud.
Collins & Murkowski voted YES in committee
Their party-line vote put nomination up for Senate vote
https://t.c…
@ananavarro Collins & Murkowski voted YES in committee
Their party-line vote put nomination before Senate.
https://t.co/L74K8k1eve
@beckyflaum @SenatorCollins @lisamurkowski Wish they had voted no in committee when it really mattered https://t.co/Wc9KYd7usR
Collins and Murkowski bear responsibility for Betsy DeVos being Education Secretary: They Played Us https://t.co/bj2sPqvSW3 via @kegill
RT @kegill: Murkowski & Collins VOTED YES in committee.
That’s *how* DeVos nomination came to Senate.
Do not applaud
https://t.co/L74K8ki…
RT @kegill: Collins and Murkowski bear responsibility for DeVos being Education Secretary https://t.co/L74K8k1eve https://t.co/Cuh7SiipGl