Once this practice of putting a hold on all nominees becomes normalized, you can forget about any president being able to conduct effective diplomacy in the future.
As I understand it, Cruz's actual motivation (aside from pure grandstanding) is pandering to the oil and gas lobby in Texas. Texas-based energy interests could sell Germany natural gas at a multiple of the price Germany will pay for Russian natural gas piped in via Nord Stream 2.
The idea that sanctions are going to be used to appease a domestic industrial lobby should be shocking, but what the heck. Washington already imposes sanctions to pander to the interests of the Israel Lobby and the Cuba Lobby. We might as well throw in the fossil fuel lobby too.
While I am opposed to the imperial Presidency, I do believe that the President pretty much needs to have a free hand when it comes to diplomacy and staffing the diplomatic corps, as well as stuff like recognizing foreign capitals, etc. Congress needs to get the final say on matters of war and peace, and the President needs discretion over handling affairs with foreign states. My two cents.
He is apparently one of the least personally-liked members of the Senate, but he has a lot of sway with the hard-right nutbags. His fellow Republicans dare not cross him because goblin-man Cruz would go on Fox News and label them as "weak" or "appeasers" or whatnot, and they don't want to risk getting primaried.
As I understand it, Cruz's actual motivation (aside from pure grandstanding) is pandering to the oil and gas lobby in Texas. Texas-based energy interests could sell Germany natural gas at a multiple of the price Germany will pay for Russian natural gas piped in via Nord Stream 2.
The idea that sanctions are going to be used to appease a domestic industrial lobby should be shocking, but what the heck. Washington already imposes sanctions to pander to the interests of the Israel Lobby and the Cuba Lobby. We might as well throw in the fossil fuel lobby too.
While I am opposed to the imperial Presidency, I do believe that the President pretty much needs to have a free hand when it comes to diplomacy and staffing the diplomatic corps, as well as stuff like recognizing foreign capitals, etc. Congress needs to get the final say on matters of war and peace, and the President needs discretion over handling affairs with foreign states. My two cents.
When are his fellow senators going to stand up to this ridiculous man and get on with business?!
He is apparently one of the least personally-liked members of the Senate, but he has a lot of sway with the hard-right nutbags. His fellow Republicans dare not cross him because goblin-man Cruz would go on Fox News and label them as "weak" or "appeasers" or whatnot, and they don't want to risk getting primaried.