How Democrats Can Win by Losing on Net Neutrality

On the issue of network neutrality, Democratic Senators are planning to use the Congressional Review Act, or CRA to force a vote in Congress on the issue. Sen Claire McCaskill (D-MO) became the 30th senator to get behind the measure, giving Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) enough senators to call the vote. The CRA procedure gives Congress a chance to reverse an agency decision. It was historically rarely used, but after President Donald Trump took office, congressional Republicans passed more than a dozen disapproval resolutions to reverse actions taken under President Barack Obama. 

Do Democrats have a chance? It’s not impossible. Sen Susan Collins (R-ME) called the FCC ruling a mistake and said she intends to vote for the resolution. If every one of the 49 Senators who caucus with the Democrats vote yes, they would need just one more Republican Senator to pass the resolution. Odds are murkier in the House, where House Communications Subcommittee Ranking Member Mike Doyle (D-PA) has said he’ll introduce a companion resolution. House rules give Republican leadership a tighter rein there than in the Senate. If it should happen to pass both chambers, Republican President Donald Trump, the man who appointed a longtime foe of net neutrality to head the FCC, would likely veto any resolution. What would Democrats do next? Look for a lot of television and internet ads that pin the end of net neutrality squarely on Republicans.