“scorched earth” tactics are an example, an existence proof. you, my friend are presuming there’s nothing, absolutely nothing, Senate Democrats could do — no horrible escalation, nor promise of cooperation on some other matter — that could sway four Senators or Thune. that’s possible! 1/

but it’s not especially likely. there are a lot of horses to trade and barns to threaten burning. again, i think it quite likely the reason the horses go untraded and the barns unburned is because the price of those choices is too high, the decision not to make them ultimately wise. 2/

i don’t actually think Schumer should threaten to paralyze the senate over this! but the Senate and Senators are not fixed points, and the reason why Schumer exists is to think creatively about possibilities and costs and to make wise choices. there are more choices than upthrown hands. /fin