Suppose Schumer promised if the Hegseth nomination were tabled, he’d deliver 8 Democrats on n otherwise filibusterable proposals, for some value of n. (To be credible, he’d need commitments up front from the 8, sure.) To be clear, this would be a horrible thing! 1/

But do you think there is no value of n for which Thune would accept the deal? 2/

The issue here, the issue almost always, is not what’s impossible. It’s what’s wise. That deal would be very unwise for Schumer + 7 colleagues to make, so they won’t. But if the iminent action by the Senate were sufficiently dire, that kind of dealmaking might happen. 3/

It’s not about what’s possible or impossible. It’s like Disneyworld, everything is always possible. The question, the issue, is the price. 4/

Schumer judges the price of derailing these nominations would be too high. I think he’s probably right! especially since Democrats may perceive actual benefit in giving the cabinet the rope to hang itself! 5/

But these are always, always choices it is Schumer’s job creatively to consider. /fin