Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Breaking: Senate Confirms Tillerson (Update: News on Sessions and DeVos)
The US Senate voted Wednesday to confirm Exxon/Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson as the new Secretary of State. All Republican Senators supported him, along with three Senate Democrats: Heidi Heitkamp (ND), Joe Manchin (WV), and Mark Warner (VA). The final tally was 56 to 43. Sen. Angus King (ME), an independent who caucuses with Democrats, also voted to confirm the nominee.
In other nomination news Wednesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved Sen. Jeff Sessions’s nomination to become Attorney General on a contentious party-line vote. Meanwhile, Republican Sens. Susan Collins (ME) and Lisa Murkowski (AK) have announced that they will not support Education Secretary nominee Betsy DeVos. Barring unlikely Democratic support, or other GOP dissent, this leaves the school choice advocate with an expected 50-50 vote in the Senate, requiring Vice President Mike Pence to cast the deciding vote.
Published in Politics
So Rubio is okay with war criminals now I guess. (I kid. Glad this went through, but this is one of Trump’s less impressive picks.)
Excellent. My modest suggestion for Secretary Tillerson is that he send a note to 51 U.S. Ambassadors advising them that their recent letter of resignation had been accepted effective immediately, then advise the local Marine detachment to escort them from the building.
Trump should announce that DeVos is the only person he will nominate as the Secretary of Education. If she is voted down, he will work with Congress to shut down the department.
Tell me again about principled conservative Murkowski.
Like father, like daughter.
You mean… the VP is getting some action? Not just entertaining for the plebs, but the VP, too!
I think Joe Manchin has said he will vote to approve Trump’s choices. If so, that gives De Vos 51 votes.
Seawriter
Texas approves of Mr. Tillerson. I’d prefer Romney, but ain’t no one listening to me anyways.
Not if Jeff Sessions is confirmed beforehand.
I like that.
Then Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski would vote for her, and guys like Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, and Mike Lee might be forced to vote against her.
Both Senators Collins and Murkowski are reported to have said they prefer someone whose commitment to the nation’s public schools is not in question.
What do we call two Republican Senators who do not acknowledge that each of our 50 states has a state public school system and do not seem to be aware that the nation has no public school system? This is the confusion created by having a Department of Education in the federal government.
Yup. Shut ‘er down.
Three out of four of these senators are Class 1 (up for re-election in 2018). Coincidence? I don’t think so.
Look for more defections of Class 1 Democrats in the future.
Class 2 & 3, respectively. Time enough for people to forget.
I would love that so much.
DeVos is wonderful. I hope it sticks there and Pence votes her in!
Congrats Jon you made the twitter feed of Rorate Caeli.
Manchin has already said he will vote
in favor of campaign contributions from the teachers’ unionagainst DeVos.BTW, word is Yertle the Turtle allowed the two Quislings to vote no because he knew he had the 50 needed and Pence will confirm her.
Lisa Murkowski has lied to me for two terms now. A fter Obama was elected she sent me form letters saying how she believes fundamentally that a president deserves to get his appointment. Today her Senate office phone went straight to voicemail, then hung up on me before I could leave a message.