(PresidentialWire.com)- The Senate is controlled by a Democratic majority, 50 seats since the late-Senator Harry Reid who preceded Chuck Schumer. The two years of a 50-50 Senate is reportedly the longest period with a divided chamber.
As Segars reports, “the accomplishments or failures of the Democratic Senate majority would always be a reflection on Schumer’s ability to corral his caucus.” But Schumer did finally get his big break. In fact, his “secret weapon” has been in his pocket the entire time.
Senate Democrats managed to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, a $740 billion package that supports tax, health care and climate programs. Obviously, there are critics of the bloated bill. Like the fact that it gives the IRS an additional $80 billion, nearly half of which will go toward “enforcement related funds,” at a time when the agency is reportedly seeking to hire 87,000 new agents and is stockpiling $700,000 worth of ammo adding to the five million rounds of ammo the agency already has.
Disregarding the actual substance of the bill, which even Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders said will do little to actually curb inflation, it represents a huge break for Schumer, who had his legacy dependent on some kind of legislative win. But how did he secure it?
According to Schumer, his flip phone is his biggest accomplishment yet. He reportedly has the phone numbers of every Democratic senator memorized and takes calls from them every day. “They call me directly, not through staff,” he said.
“I always know what my members think. They let me know what they’re thinking. They’re not going to be shy about it, which is good. And that enables you to weave a legislative proposal that can pass,” Schumer said. “I know everything about my caucus. I care about them. I love them.”
Control of the Senate is considered a tossup and one that Schumer might hold onto depending on what November has in store.
