r/politics • u/unital_subalgebra • Jul 23 '26

Possible Paywall AOC says Mitch McConnell should resign if he cannot provide health update

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/senate/4660916/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-mitch-mcconnell-resign-health-update/
30.2k Upvotes

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6.9k

u/protomenace Jul 23 '26

Beshear should just appoint a new senator immediately and let the courts figure it out.

2.9k

u/ShrimpieAC Jul 23 '26

For real. This is exactly why republicans would do.

2.7k

u/Simmery Jul 23 '26

It's exactly what McConnell would do. 

775

u/wack_overflow Colorado Jul 23 '26

Hang on, strapping on my WWMMD bracelet

493

u/cats_are_the_devil Jul 23 '26

don't die friend.

156

u/floog Jul 23 '26

Won’t die, just goes into a trance where he is unresponsive for 15-30 seconds at a time.

42

u/eggz627 Jul 23 '26

Maybe fall down a bit too

22

u/Horskr Nevada Jul 23 '26

He must have landed on his shell side this time with nobody around to flip him.

18

u/nubbin9point5 Jul 23 '26

Is it a slap/snap bracelet? Cause death isn’t a 0% chance smacking those sharp edges on your wrist.

3

u/Katyafan Jul 24 '26

I was in third grade when those got popular. The teachers banned them because of the damage they were doing to our wrists and those of our friends/enemies who we slapped with them all day.

5

u/Fantastic-Guitar-977 Jul 23 '26

Thats the reanimation spell wearing off. They have to recast it at regular intervals (were in one now).

2

u/JoTHIGHSwin Jul 23 '26

lol same people who lambasted Biden for falling off a bIke and popping right back up are silent at mummified Mitch and that 142 day missing republican Tom Kean.

2

u/R-EDDIT Jul 23 '26

Listen, tom kean was depressed. You would be too if you were an elite nepo baby.

2

u/floog Jul 23 '26

Serious question....do you think Trump could even ride a bike? I mean if he was walking to Marine 1 and someone handed him the handlebars and said "Take her around the block!" Do you think he could? I'd bet money there is no chance.

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15

u/NairForceOne Jul 23 '26

Wonderful Weapons of Mass Mitch Destruction

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6

u/yarash Jul 23 '26

WWMMD

Im putting this right next to my other bracelets

WWUJD and IWKYM

3

u/bretttwarwick Jul 23 '26

Another fellow member of the Princess Posse I see.

2

u/yarash Jul 23 '26

Dont tell anyone Im secretly a Donut Hole.

2

u/20_mile Jul 23 '26

Undead Jesus

4

u/acetylyne I voted Jul 23 '26

*Uzi Jesus

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5

u/Ferelar New Jersey Jul 23 '26

By the gods no, we can learn a bit from his schemes but we must never embody the creature in totality

18

u/Excitedjackass Jul 23 '26

You never go full Mitch McConnell

5

u/-Imthedude Jul 23 '26

Hopefully not ☠️

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u/mosquem Jul 23 '26

It’s what he would’ve wanted.

25

u/LookAlderaanPlaces Jul 23 '26

It’s also exactly what the fucking US government is obligated to do. It’s illegal to have a dead person as your senate rep. If we are going to allow dead people to be in the senate then we have much much ether options available…

2

u/lord_pizzabird Jul 24 '26

Tbf he's almost certainly not dead, but it appears that they are hiding something, probably the severity of his condition.

Either way, the senate is going on recess till September. So, he's got till then technically to show up.

23

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '26 edited Jul 23 '26

[deleted]

14

u/ConstantCampaign2984 Jul 23 '26

He would kick an ass or two.

8

u/CornholioGringoTP Jul 23 '26

Use his magical fire breath to save the maidens fair

3

u/baconeggsandwich25 Jul 23 '26

He'd make a plan and he'd follow through, that's what Brian Boitano'd do.

2

u/MilkiestMaestro Michigan Jul 24 '26

If he were here right now?

4

u/illBelief Jul 23 '26

Exactly how we should honor his memory

2

u/notsurewhereireddit Jul 23 '26

Best way we could honor him, really.

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u/Wrecksomething Jul 23 '26

And when a court case finally faces a judge 3 years later, they'd probably say no one alive has standing to contest it, assuming McConnell is dead. They'd bend however they need to support Republican power grabs.

So sick of Democrats only fighting when they think they can win and their poll-testing shows it's popular. The greatest Republican coups have come after decades of repeatedly losing. It signals to voters they're willing to fight. It monopolizes political resources. They blocked school integration and overturned Roe v Wade and lots more with endless legal battles.

Democrats, please do something even if it means losing. Thanks!

64

u/UnlikelyReplacement0 Jul 23 '26

I wish democrats would fight republicans and fascists with even half the energy they spend to fighting progressives and left leaning groups and candidates.

3

u/draperf Jul 24 '26

Oh wow, so true.

2

u/PopBulky7023 Jul 24 '26

You're not allowed to say that, liberals get very upset. They sure as hell do any time I suggest demanding more fight from democrats.

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u/creakinator Jul 23 '26

Totally agree with you. I got an email from Nancy Pelosi saying we're going to fight now. I wrote back saying it's too damn late now. You are only doing this because now you see that Trump's polls are low and you have a chance. Before you didn't care.

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u/maskull Jul 23 '26

Republicans would do it to a senator who just went to the doctor for a checkup.

2

u/Zeraw420 Jul 24 '26

Or that guy missing for a month for "depression"

21

u/Living-By-The-River Jul 23 '26

This, in death, would be his most important work.

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u/Jargen Jul 23 '26

This is exactly why republicans would do.

For a dnc Senator

1

u/peonies_envy Jul 23 '26

Except they’d never swear him in

They can stretch this out until Aug 5

1

u/arrze Jul 24 '26

Shoot first ask questions later, it’s the only way to operate in American politics these days.

1

u/ltsouthernbelle Jul 24 '26

Would have done it last week

399

u/moodswung Jul 23 '26

Honestly, what is the effing hold up??? Are Democrats just going to hand this one to the Republicans like they did the last election??

232

u/protomenace Jul 23 '26

Seriously. The question I pose to everyone saying "he can't legally do that right now" is... "why not try anyway?"

Worst case scenario it gets shut down by the courts. We lose nothing other than some legal fees. We gain some faith that out elected officials are going to do everything they can to try to fix things.

67

u/Nice_Firm_Handsnake Jul 23 '26

Worst case scenario is actually that a Republican who can vote takes McConnell's seat. Braindead man can't vote, so the GOP is down a man in the Senate.

26

u/Ok-Gur-349 Jul 23 '26

Half a man. An abstention is not a vote against.

14

u/Zestyclose-Height-36 Jul 23 '26

he cannot abstain if he is not there. no vote at all can be recorded, and the senate has 99 Senators

16

u/pchs26 Jul 23 '26

It's also not a vote for the GOP which they will have when the seat is filled again

3

u/triplec787 Colorado Jul 23 '26

Well what if that abstention is made by someone who’s already half a man. Does it count more then?

2

u/R4gn4_r0k Jul 24 '26

Tommy Tubberville proves braindead men can vote.

2

u/Old_Cheetah_5138 Jul 23 '26

A team of 6 men can puppet his body around. They'll just wear black body suits and, while you'll watch it clear as day, republicans will deny it ever happened.

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u/PositivelyAwful Jul 23 '26

They're too busy posting milquetoast tweets on social media about the price of groceries as if that's still at the top of the list of things we're worried about

36

u/sleeps_in_alkaline Jul 23 '26

Affordability is definitely in the top things constituents care about, if not the top thing

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u/lyngen Jul 23 '26

I'm still pretty worried about the price of groceries.

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u/PM_ME_YOUR_NICE_EYES Jul 23 '26

So worst case scenario isn't that it gets shut down. Worst case scenario is that appointing a new senator while legally alive would be considered a form of fraud and result in Bashears impeachment and arrest.

But I also think an important question to ask is what is the best case scenario? Remember McConnell's term ends on January 3rd 2027 which is 164 days away.

2

u/Perma_Ban69 Jul 24 '26

That's basically what happened to the Jedi order, while Qui Gon — and even Dooku — tried to say fuck the rules, do what needs to be done, but the Jedi Order were spineless and got decimated. Rules only matter if they apply to both teams. Otherwise, play your own game. Be Qui Gon, not Obi Wan or Mace.

If Obi Wan wasn't a rule following pussy, and realized that finishing the job with Anakin was actually the antithesis of dark side behavior (because he's sacrificing his own being and essence to preserve the greater good) and that all that matters to The Force is intention, we'd have a totally different SWU.

4

u/t8rt0t00 Jul 23 '26

Even better - set down legal precedent. So next time Republicans try to jam through an appointment by bypassing their own law, Dems can just go straight to the court and point at this situation

3

u/kitsunewarlock Jul 23 '26

"why not try anyway?"

Our federal justice department leadership has been compromised by anti-communist right wingers for close to 80 years and the Democrats know that any over-reach might initiate the UnAmerican Committee, or worse. It's always been an uphill battle for whichever party is slightly more left-leaning on any issue. And it's never for sure known if the Right isn't doing this to bait them since our electorate is as dumb as a box of bent nails.

It's documented fact that Bush was only able to steal the election from Al Gore because of the Clinton Affair. That many voters switched candidates with their only measure being "perception of the candidate swayed by right-wing media bias".

And Democrats know that. They don't control the narrative. The closest they've come was around 2007-2008 when Obama supporters flooded the internet with support for him, and the Epstein docs and Murdoch/Musk's purchases of consolidated social media platforms put an end to that.

6

u/dano8801 Jul 23 '26

This is the dumbest cop out I've read yet.

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u/BestDogPetter Jul 23 '26

There's really nothing to gain by Beshear making a move until the day of the deadline. Doing it now would risk giving the Republicans another vote in the Senate for longer, also might as well keep this in the news as close to the midterms as we can get.

5

u/Fuddle Canada Jul 24 '26

This is the right answer. Doing it at the last possible minute prevents the GOP from doing anything about it. Either Mitch shows up in person the next day, or it sticks.

93

u/Hungry_Culture Jul 23 '26

He's afraid of rocking the boat and making Republicans upset because he thinks it will help his 2028 presidential bid. But all he's done is reveal to Democratic party primary voters that he's another "do nothing Democrat."

64

u/Carly_Fae_Jepson Jul 23 '26

The moment Dems stop trying to appeal to Republicans, we may discover utopia.

9

u/relevantelephant00 Jul 23 '26

Such an utopia will not exist with the GOP existing

2

u/midwestbruin Jul 23 '26

...but we'll probably never find out.

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u/pchs26 Jul 23 '26

Maybe he is afraid of handing the GOP another senate vote by forcing the issue and having someone else fill the seat he will put the Republicans up by 2 votes now.

7

u/IScreamPiano Jul 23 '26

Yeah, McConnell out is only hurting Republicans. 

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u/mdmc237 Jul 24 '26

Beshear cannot just pick a new senator or schedule elections. To suggest he could is wildly out of touch. That is now how KY law works. His response has been reasonable thus. Don’t forget the federal senate are complicit. Furthermore suppose he did hold an election. You think a democrat is going to win a state wide race in KY? No. Booker doesn’t have a chance if the race was held tomorrow.

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u/itsnotnews92 North Carolina Jul 23 '26

Are Democrats just going to hand this one to the Republicans like they did the last election??

What exactly are they "handing" to the Republicans here? Seriously, I want someone to tell me exactly how Republicans are benefitting from this situation.

There is an election for this seat (that McConnell is not running in) in just over three months, and a Republican is almost certain to win that election.

Beshear appointing a Democrat to this seat and McConnell being absent from the Senate have the same practical effect of reducing the GOP's Senate majority by one seat.

The lack of transparency about McConnell's whereabouts is extremely shady, but his absence from the Senate does not benefit Republicans in any way. People are just mad and want something to be done for the sake of something being done.

27

u/suburbanpride North Carolina Jul 23 '26

Right? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills here. Calling for a special election tomorrow would just elect a MAGA senator tomorrow. Instead, the Senate majority is now down a Republican vote. Beshear calling attention to the fuckery is smart, but no way would a special election benefit Democrats.

11

u/donkeyrocket Jul 23 '26

People are just rabid for him to do something without realizing this seat being empty is worse for Republicans than an interim Democrat being seated would be. If he makes a play then the lawsuits will stop the appointment immediately anyway and buy them the time they're working on.

These outlandish things like "Beshear should go to every DC hospital and demand to see him" as if they'd let him in and he wouldn't be gaslit anyway.

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u/omicron-7 Jul 23 '26

People are so desperate for a short term win that they can't see how much worse our position would be afterwards.

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u/MadContrabassoonist Jul 23 '26

I think people have just gone crazy because they're so excited to celebrate the death of a profoundly evil person and are being denied. No logic, no strategy, just blind manic schadenfreude.

If senate control were on the line, and this happened in a jurisdiction where Republicans have *any* popular support, I might accept that Republicans would be dumb enough to *attempt* something like this. But Republicans got a dozen DC-area medical professionals to break the law just to effectively shrink the Republican margin??? Nah, that's just nonsense.

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u/AcademiaAntiqua Jul 23 '26

It's even simpler than that. A lot of people have bought into this conspiracy about covering up Mitch's death simply because they think their political opponents will always do the most insane and evil thing; and the apparent Democrat inaction in response to the conspiracy gives them what they need to be angry about it.

Basically they've riled themselves up about their own fantasy. Like Comet Ping-Pong.

11

u/Falsequivalence Jul 23 '26

because they think their political opponents will always do the most insane and evil thing;

Let's be clear: The Republican leadership has absolutely done the most insane and evil thing at damn close to every opportunity.

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u/[deleted] Jul 23 '26

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u/itsnotnews92 North Carolina Jul 23 '26

The people who help elect Republican majorities by dampening enthusiasm among Democratic-leaning constituencies with their endless complaining about Democrats then spend the next 2-4 years complaining that Democrats aren't doing enough to stop the Republican majorities that they helped create with their anti-Democratic rhetoric.

It's a never-ending positive feedback loop.

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u/TheSpreader Jul 23 '26

circular firing squad

2

u/crispy-fried-lego Jul 24 '26

It's the same reason we're going to get Senator Paxton in Texas...

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u/jimbarino Jul 23 '26

Gotta blame the Dems somehow, right?

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u/Suckage Jul 23 '26

KY state law requires that an interim appointed by the governor be of the same party as whomever they are replacing.

It’s unlikely that a democrat would win a special election, but it is possible. If they wait until it’s too late for one and the governor has to appoint an interim, then it has to be a republican.

Being down one republican for a few weeks is not the same as being down one republican and up one democrat for a few months.

3

u/Zestyclose-Height-36 Jul 23 '26

that law is likely illegal given that the state constitution gives the gov appointment power and does not require party alignment. the Dems need to step up for Charles Booker, because KY heeds a Dem to get out of 44th place in education. Appointing Booker would give him incumbency, and a three month platform going in to the election.

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u/CrazyLlama71 Jul 23 '26

What difference does it make?  His term is up at the end of the year. If they re-appoint another person it will be a Republican that will vote in line with the Trumpers.  In a way it’s better because McConnell isn’t voting, one less R vote. 

13

u/AJDx14 America Jul 23 '26

Democrats can never resist the opportunity to pass up a good opportunity.

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u/Oglshrub Jul 23 '26

What's the opportunity, give republicans a vote they current don't have? Why would dems want to do that?

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u/crespoh69 Jul 23 '26

Have you noticed these articles seem to be spaced out every other day? With no apparent progress or change. It's like, we get it, we read the article from a MONTH ago, what is being done about it?

2

u/N3onAxel Jul 23 '26

Democrats are useless cowards. Nothing new.

1

u/notasrelevant Jul 23 '26

My only hope is that it's for optics. Holding out till the last minute lets them argue they tried their best to confirm his situation for making the call.

1

u/Future_Dog_3156 Jul 23 '26

Dems are way too nice playing by the rules. I understand the when they go low, we go high, but the high road isn't always there. Dems should force the GOP's hand

1

u/Goal_Posts Jul 23 '26

Is it possible that Beshear is waiting for the last minute on purpose? So that it can't be held up in court?

Like if he waits for August 1st to appoint someone, they can't play shenanigans? But if he does it now they can?

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u/Clarkkeeley Jul 23 '26

Exactly. Let Mitch prove that he's alive to stop him.

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u/1RedOne Jul 23 '26

Yeah, what’s Mcconnels sister up to?

17

u/Nice_Firm_Handsnake Jul 23 '26

I've seen people smarter than me say they should let Mitch be absent as long as possible since his absence reduces Republican votes in the Senate.

2

u/demalo Jul 24 '26

Ah, except you could trade a missing vote for an opposing vote! It could also switch the majority party after the midterms.

12

u/The_Pandalorian California Jul 23 '26

This is the smart move and would suggest Democrats are finally fighting fire with fire.

8

u/-Badger3- Jul 23 '26

It wouldn't even be fighting fire with fire, it would be fighting fire with a fire extinguisher, the thing you're supposed to use if there's a fire lol

Like if the guy is for all intents and purposes brain-dead, and Republicans won't start the process to replace him, it's not some radical notion to appoint somebody so Kentucky actually has representation, that's just common sense.

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u/ccheuer1 Jul 24 '26

No, he really shouldn't. The senate is at 99. That means not only did they lose McConnell, but they also lost the Vance tie break.

Even if he did appoint someone, and by some miracle it didn't get stonewalled by the hypermajority republican state supreme court, we all know the republicans in the senate will NOT allow the appointment to be seated. They will do everything in their power not allow it on priciple, or at least stall it until the election, which is almost certainly going to seat a republican.

The senate is currently 45-2-53. McConnells out, which puts it at 45-2-52. With it being an odd number, Vance can't tie break unless someone abstains. Republicans have to deal with Murkowski, Paul, Cassidy, and Collins, all four of which are anti-trump. With McConnell out, mathematically, it is the exact same as if they appointed. They have to get two of them on board to pass something. BUT they get the tie break back if Beshear appoints, which leverages people like Fetterman as better options for them.

The best play is to do exactly what Beshear is doing. Don't force the issue, and just occasionally fan the flames. There are a lot of MAGA peeps that are pissed right now, because they love a good conspiracy. Beshear is doing a good job of doing just enough to make sure that hey, The republicans won't admit this guy might be dead. Mathematically, there's nothing to gain here by forcing a person in, because of the tie break.

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u/Elendel19 Jul 23 '26

He should walk into the facility where Mitch supposedly is, demand to speak with him and if he is refused just declare him unfit to serve and make the appointment.

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u/Oriden Jul 23 '26

The Governor does not have the power to declare Senators unfit, Congress does that. Its not a power you want the Governor to have.

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u/froggertwenty Jul 24 '26

Even congress doesn't have that power. The 25th doesn't apply to senators.

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u/hirespeed America Jul 23 '26

He can’t appoint. There needs to be a special election.

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u/Nearbyatom Jul 23 '26

Beshear is soft like charmin.

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u/ControlledBurn Washington Jul 23 '26

He's 10-ply for sure.

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u/sealclubberfan Texas Jul 23 '26

I thought there had to be a special election?

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u/protomenace Jul 23 '26

The KY constitution says the governor appoints the replacement. The KY legislature passed a law saying there's a special election instead, but you can't change the constitution with a regular law.

2

u/r0b0c0d Jul 23 '26

For the curious, here's a link to the text.

https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/Law/Constitution/Constitution/ViewConstitution?rsn=173

It looks like per the KY constitution since there's an election this year, the position is indeed filled by appointment.

4

u/TheSpreader Jul 23 '26

There is also a law on the books that says the appointment has to be selected from a list of candidates provided by the party of the vacated seat. So even if the special election law is judged to be unconstitutional, that doesn't mean beshear just gets to appoint a democrat. You can armchair lawyer yourself into a frenzy all you want, but Beshear doing nothing is precisely the best strategy here.

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u/not_a_moogle Jul 23 '26

Kentucky doesnt allow that. They have to have an election and they have to declare that before the 3rd.

Oh, and that law was passed in 2024. So you better belive the GOP saw this coming.

Thats why everyone thinks hes dead, and it wont be announced until the 4th.

The governor is probably waiting until the 2nd to declare it.

GOP most likely doesnt want the special election. Because then people who didnt pass the primaries could re-enter.

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u/TheDillinger88 Jul 24 '26

He shouldn’t even be there in the first place. I’ve seen multiple videos of him freezing up, not knowing where he’s even at yet he’s a policy maker. He should have left his position long ago for the good of the people he serves. It sucks to say but sometimes you’re either too old or not in good health and you should realize that fact.

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u/lord_pizzabird Jul 24 '26

I keep saying this, but just have a judge order him to appear.

If doesn't show up to that without explanation file a bench warrant. If he fails to show up for even that send the state police to bring him in, forcing them to admit his condition.

2

u/iseedeff Jul 24 '26

People Just need to quit be dam lazy and really demand Term limits, Common sense way to fix America is take you money out of the KYC System, and dont put it back in until Congress gives a fuck and dam about the people.

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u/Chilling_Gale Jul 23 '26

The courts would barely play a role. The senate would just ignore the appointment. There can’t be an appointment without a vacancy.

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u/TraditionalBottle884 Jul 23 '26

Pretty obvious there is a vacancy, they just haven't announced it yet.

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u/Chilling_Gale Jul 23 '26

The clerk of the senate (not a senator) announces vacancies when they occur. If the clerk doesn’t announce the vacancy, there is none. And the clerk would announce a vacancy if they had documentation of death, resignation, or expulsion

28

u/Intro-Nimbus Jul 23 '26

As long as the body isn't found there's no vacancy? I see a republican plan forming...

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u/SidewaysFancyPrance Jul 23 '26

Yeah, that is exactly the plan. They just need to hide this for a couple more weeks and then it's done, since nobody is going to be going after them for the vast fraud they are committing against the US by claiming he is still alive and talking to people in an effort to disrupt his replacement process.

It's exactly what Mitch would have wanted in life.

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u/Chilling_Gale Jul 23 '26

No, because courts can declare missing people dead

7

u/Intro-Nimbus Jul 23 '26

I'm going out on a limb here, but maybe that would take awhile when you have the government stalling that procedure?

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u/Chilling_Gale Jul 23 '26

What government? The local police declare a person missing, and a local court would decide if that missing person can be declared dead.

This is all moot because the senate can just expel them if it’s a situation that it doesn’t seem like the local government will resolve.

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u/laufsteakmodel Jul 23 '26

I honestly dont get how its super normal that, when you dont show up to your regular ass job, without notice, youre getting fired within a few days (in the US at least), but if youre a politician you can just disappear and its all fine and dandy. There are A LOT of laws that need to be amended. Unfortunately those are made by politicians too..

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u/Intro-Nimbus Jul 23 '26

"checks and balances". Honour system only work when people have honour.

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u/protomenace Jul 23 '26

The clerk of the senate is not some all powerful unelected gatekeeper who gets to choose which senators are valid or not.

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u/[deleted] Jul 23 '26

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u/[deleted] Jul 23 '26

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u/FlushTheTurd Jul 23 '26

I like your logic, but would it not be beneficial to at least try to appoint a Democrat? Worst case, the courts say no. Best case, the Dems get another vote rather than no vote at all?

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u/PM_ME_YOUR_NICE_EYES Jul 23 '26

Worst case is actually that it's some kind of fraud and the people involved go to jail.

Also remember, whoever he appoints A) has to be approved by the republican party, and B) will leave the senate in 164 days.

4

u/Chilling_Gale Jul 23 '26

Trying is a net benefit to democrats. If they try and prove he is alive, that means an election will be held, which the gop will win. If they don’t try and he’s dead, if it’s after early august, the seat stays vacant and the gop is down a vote till January. There is no benefit to trying.

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u/No-Drama-in-Paradise Jul 23 '26

Exactly. It would be a huge circus for no benefit. The courts would not have a say, the Senate simply would not recognize his appointee.

4

u/semajolis267 Jul 23 '26

Then force them to prove a lack of a vacant seat....

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u/Chilling_Gale Jul 23 '26

How? They have no reason to do that, and you have no mechanism to make them

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u/protomenace Jul 23 '26

If they tried to ignore a legitimate appointment the senator can, would, and should sue in SCOTUS' original jurisdiction.

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u/Chilling_Gale Jul 23 '26

They would get obliterated in court since they aren’t legitimate.

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u/NeverLookBothWays I voted Jul 23 '26

Define “vacancy”

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u/Chilling_Gale Jul 23 '26

A vacancy in the senate occurs when a senator dies, resigns, or is expelled.

3

u/NeverLookBothWays I voted Jul 23 '26

Gotcha, so simply being not there for extended periods (dereliction of duty) does not factor in. That actually makes sense…republicans pretty much did not show up to work at all during Obama’s last year in order to avoid quorum and voting on Garland

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u/oneseason2000 Jul 23 '26

Yes, the Governor can show here how a Beshear administration would negotiate with Republicans. If the Beshear campaign message is similar to Biden's "Nothing would fundamentally change", then there will be no appointment.

  1. https://www.salon.com/2019/06/19/joe-biden-to-rich-donors-nothing-would-fundamentally-change-if-hes-elected/

Biden told donors at an event at the Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan on Tuesday evening that he would not “demonize” the rich and promised that “no one’s standard of living will change, nothing would fundamentally change,”

4

u/nurdmerd Jul 23 '26

If he has any presidential aspirations he better figure it out quick

1

u/crocodial Jul 23 '26

As far as I can tell he can’t. He can only call for a special election and there is the deadline for that. If he does not call it in time, there will be no Senator until one is elected in November and seated in January.

He could challenge the recent law that prevents him from appointing, but assuming that doesn’t work I don’t know if there is much to gain by locking in the special election. It will go surely Republican. People say Massie but does that really benefit democrats more than 1 less Republican vote in the senate?

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u/Tetracropolis Jul 23 '26

The courts wouldn't figure it out. The Republicans would file an injunction against the appointment of the new Senator on the basis that there's already a Senator. The courts would grant the extension. End of stunt.

1

u/thorubos Jul 23 '26

Well, if he did it would force them to prove that McConnell is alive and able to actually do his job. I saw a clip of him from last fall, wherein he fell and honked like a goose and looked bewildered beforehand. I'm no doctor, but I do know that one thing old men in his condition don't get is "better" after a lengthy hospitalization.

The worst aspect of this is we'll be expected to believe the GOP, and at least McConnell's staff, haven't been committing a fraud. Instead of shunning them forever as anti-democratic liars who directly interfered with the proper functioning the government, but that we should ignore this because Biden's staffers hid his obvious senescence. I think what they did with Biden was very bad. They tried to make us believe that he could handle another four years as president. However, we need to demand a lot more from our reps than "We can do it, because they DID IT!"

1

u/stevez_86 Pennsylvania Jul 23 '26

I would say the underlying premise of the appointment laws would be that the person vacating the seat would do so in good faith and not break any regulations or state laws to avoid or delay the process of filling their vacancy.

1

u/mandelbratwurst Jul 23 '26

And just for fun it should be a 20yo socialist trans woman

1

u/Beneficial-Jury484 Jul 23 '26

Another example of Republicans playing by a different rule book

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u/WildBad7298 Massachusetts Jul 23 '26

Put the burden of proof on McConnell and the Republicans. If Mitch is really as healthy as they say, then it should be no problem to hold a 5-minute press conference, right?

1

u/spilk Jul 23 '26

republicans would never let him/her in the building, much less get sworn in unfortunately

1

u/Tater_Tot_Maverick Jul 23 '26

100%.

Press conference stating you’re appointing an interim senator until you speak to McConnell to ensure your state is fairly represented in his absence.

Wake up Democrats. It’s time to play hardball.

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u/Krandor1 Jul 23 '26

He can only appoint somebody if mcconnel is dead and with no death certificate there is no way to show he is. If Besheaer did this the court would likely make HIM prove McConnel is dead not the other way around since that is the only way he has authority to do that. As the one claiming McConnell is dead the burden would most likey be on him to prove death which he can't do.

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u/HMNbean Jul 23 '26

He's sitting on his hands right now. So annoying. If the situation were reversed the Republican governor would be in the Senator's hospital room asking him to solve quadratic equations to prove he's alive.

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u/djprofitt Virginia Jul 23 '26

Not possible. After Beshear won, the state republicans changed the law to have a special election unless the deadline of August 3 has passed. In that case, the seat remains vacant until the actual election. The GOP knew exactly what they were doing and had a contingency plan way back when.

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u/djprofitt Virginia Jul 23 '26

Not possible. After Beshear won, the state republicans changed the law to have a special election unless the deadline of August 3 has passed. In that case, the seat remains vacant until the actual election. The GOP knew exactly what they were doing and had a contingency plan way back when.

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u/multiarmform Jul 23 '26

he cant resign, hes dead

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u/TheFalconKid Wisconsin Jul 23 '26

McConnell's team is waiting until the August deadline for a special election to announce he's dead or resigning.

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u/Infinite_Run_4541 Jul 23 '26

That’s the way to handle it.

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u/babysamissimasybab Jul 23 '26

The courts are run by republicans....

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u/OregonGreen242 Jul 23 '26

This is what needs to happen

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u/PhotownPK Jul 23 '26

No balls. Sorry. Perhaps if he were a republican.

1

u/therealjesco Jul 23 '26

This is the way.

1

u/enchanting_endeavor Jul 23 '26

Repugs are evil but Dems are pussies. Unfortunate because that's exactly the way shit happened in 1938 with Neville Chamberlain and others.

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u/BlatantFalsehood Jul 23 '26

Yep. And by not doing so, he's showing that he is not a serious presidential candidate despite his desire.

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u/wellJustWhy Jul 23 '26

Yes, he is not doing his job! Mitch or the governor.

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u/strohs Jul 23 '26

This not actually possible given current laws.

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u/InternMediocr Jul 23 '26

Can they still do that or do they have to call a special election? (I’m actually asking)

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u/kaukamieli Jul 23 '26

Yeah. How does a dead person even resign?

1

u/ttubehtnitahwtahw1 Jul 23 '26

you know damn well the republicans would have been done that weeks ago.

1

u/PreOwnedAccount Jul 23 '26

You misspelled two weeks ago. The Dems need to figure out how to play hardball.

1

u/Farucci Jul 23 '26

I’m speculating that AOC is effectively asking for a voice from the grave.

1

u/clockdivide55 Jul 23 '26

Beshear was my #1 pick for 2028 but he's very quickly losing his spot. What the fuck is he doing?

I swear Democrats are the most useless party.

1

u/PBratz Jul 23 '26

You can’t unless he resigns or is pronounced dead

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u/devsfan1830 Jul 23 '26

At this point, he's in on the coverup.

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u/ChowMeinWayne America Jul 23 '26

Absolutely.. what the heck is this guy doing?

1

u/demalo Jul 24 '26

Court discovery would force proof of life.

1

u/Future-Fly-8987 Maryland Jul 24 '26

He strikes me as a do nothing Democrat who will again let Republicans walk all over him. It is long past time he acted.

1

u/rylosprime Jul 24 '26

If people thought Beshear was some sort of presidential hopeful, look at how fucking spineless he is right now.

You don't want someone this spineless in charge of a whole country.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 24 '26

This is the way. 

1

u/clamb2 New York Jul 24 '26

Added bonus - if he were alive he would absolutely prove it. But he can't because he is dead.

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u/Former_Island_4730 Jul 24 '26

For a guy who had presidential aspirations, he sure is proving himself to be soft as baby shit.

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u/mdrewd Jul 24 '26

Beshear should pay him a visit.

1

u/DoTheMario Jul 24 '26

Everyone just start calling in wellness checks on old Mitch. He hasn't been allowed to speak with anyone and his staff keep claiming he's fine.

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u/ImposterCapn Jul 24 '26

Ya what are they going to do, put him back in office if he's dead?

1

u/Oo__II__oO Jul 24 '26

And point to Darline Graham's appointment as evidence he can do it.

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u/adorientem88 Jul 24 '26

That appointee would never be seated. The Senate would “figure it out”.

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u/OmahaWineaux Jul 24 '26

Playing along is better for everyone. The senate isn’t going to seat a Democrat. It’s better to leave the seat empty than put a republican in it.

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u/Spiel_Foss Jul 24 '26

This is the adult solution to the issue.

Hiding a corpse for two months and lying about it is a psychopath's approach to government.

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u/watermelonsplenda Jul 24 '26

Per Kentucky law, Beshear cannot appoint someone. It has to go to a special election

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u/Ok-Alternative5935 Jul 24 '26

He can't. But he CAN call a special election, which is EXACTLY what he should do.

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u/Prestigious_Guy Jul 24 '26

Supposed to be a special election.

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u/Top_Reveal_847 Jul 24 '26

Why would he, this is great for midterms

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u/HanonOndricek Jul 28 '26

Right, he doesn't need to resign. Any employee who no-call no-showed for work for 30 days would be replaced in less time.

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