Prime Chuck

The more I see of Chuck Schumer, the more I sense that he has become much more aggressive after living through the years of Trump, dealing with the Republicans surrounding him in the Senate, and having to put up with Mitch McConnell abusive use of power for the sake of keeping power, dating back to saying that job #1 was making Barack Obama a one-term president, and then blocking a Supreme Court nominee from even getting a hearing..

There one odd thing I’ve noticed about Schumer – and to be clear, it borders on being a meaningless physical matter, having nothing to do with politics, at least on the surface.  In the past when we’ve seen him, he almost always had his reading glasses perched on the end of his nose.  It looked very "professional librarian."  Now, however, he often doesn't doesn’t have them on at all.  I have no idea what that means, mind you, perhaps nothing at all.  But what it seems to suggest to me is a different attitude of some sort.  Somewhat like he isn’t trying to win a debating point of minutiae anymore, but instead wants to bowl you over with his actions that will help Americans.  Because now he has the authority to do so.

His attitude in interviews comes across like someone who has had so much he's wanted to do, which is why he got into politics, but for many years he's been blocked from that and had to play "Protect the fort" and maneuver his way around parliamentary rules, which never seemed his strong point.  But now his better skills and instincts have be released.  And he's playing catch-up from all the time lost.

To be clear, I don't know how deep all those instincts run -- perhaps very, perhaps just under the surface.  Nor do I know how skillful he is at making his way through the minefield.  What I do know is that he handled the American Rescue Plan bill masterfully, in a Senate that has absolutely no wiggle room.  Literally.  Not one flexible vote he can afford to lose.

We'll see how long it lasts.  But it's wonderful to at least have it to look at and find out.

​And I still find it amazing that he and Amy Schumer are cousins.