Democrats now facing a lame-duck session crunch time ENTIRELY OF THEIR OWN MAKING.

Lotta good bits in this:

[Aside from confirming nominees, Harry] Reid also wants to move a package of expiring tax provisions, the annual Defense Department authorization bill and an extension of a tax moratorium on Internet purchases in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

That will be a challenge not only because of the tight schedule, but because of expected clashes between Democrats over what should be prioritized before Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) takes over the Senate’s agenda in January.

For example, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who is about to lose his chairmanship, is pushing for consideration of a bill reforming the National Security Agency despite opposition from other Democrats.

Because that’s what happens when you don’t do your goram job before the elections.  Because if you don’t, you have to do it afterward.  And guess what?

Conservative Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Mike Lee (R-Utah), two Tea Party favorites, have vowed to object to any legislation that could be postponed until next year.

That, for those playing at home, is a promise to slow things down to a crawl if Harry Reid doesn’t behave like a good little lame-duck Senate Majority Leader.  And neither Senator Cruz nor Senator Lee is particularly worried about whether people will love either of them for it.  Which is as it should be: after all, elections have consequences.

Via @JammieWF.

Moe Lane (crosspost)