MCCONNELL
Mitch

• 1. Early life and education 
• 2. Political career
• 2.1. Early career
• 2.2. Work in the US Senate
• 2.3. Work during the administration of Barack Obama
• 2.4. Using the Pirate
• 2.5. Government shutdown
• 2.6. Relations with the Trump administration
• 2.7. The impeachment process
• 3. Actions in relation to the pandemic
• 4. McConnell's political views
• 5. Personal life

Mitch McConnell is an American Republican politician, a U.S. senator from Kentucky .the minority leader in the Senate. McConnell served as the longest-serving U.S. senator from Kentucky, and he is also the longest-serving Republican leader.

Early life and education 

McConnell was born on February 20, 1942 in Addison Meath. He spent his childhood in Athens. His father, Ad McConnell Sr., and mother, Julia Auden "Dean" McConnell .McConnell is of Scottish-Irish and English descent. His great-grandfather fought on the side of the Americans in the American War of Independence of the United States .
Since early childhood, McConnell has had health problems: it all started when he was two years old, he had a paralyzed upper left leg and had an attack of polio. He was saved, he underwent treatment at the Roosevelt Institution in Warm Springs. His family had to give a lot of money to provide expensive treatment for his son. In 1950, due to his father's service, the family was forced to move to Augusta, Georgia.

McConnell on the school yearbook

In 1956, McConnell went to DuPont Manual High School in Louisville, Kentucky. Since high school, McConnell began to show his leadership qualities, so he was elected president of the school board of high school students. After high school, he entered the University of Louisville with a degree in political science and graduated from this university with honors in 1964. He was also an active student and was elected president of the student Council.
Since his youth, he was interested in the struggle for the rights of citizens and equality. He participated in the march in Washington for jobs and freedom, where he was honored to deliver his "I have a Dream"speech. At one of the rallies, he managed to interact with John Sherman Cooper, who later became McConnell's inspiration for running for the Senate.

"I have a Dream"

Political career

Early career

In 1967, McConnell joined the army as a private in his city of Louisville, Kentucky. At that time, there was a war in Vietnam, and McConnell was lucky, because he was in a reserve unit and did not participate in the battles in Vietnam. Soon he was diagnosed with optic neuritis and became unfit for military service, he was dismissed. For three years (1968-1970), McConnell served as an assistant to Senator Marlowe Cook in Washington, he helped him write speeches. This was McConnell's first job related to politics.
In 1971, McConnell returned to Louisville and tried to run for the legislature, but unfortunately was disqualified. Then he took up teaching: he gave lectures on political science at the university where he studied. At the same time, he worked for a while at a law firm.
In 1974, McConnell was eager to take the post of deputy assistant Attorney General under President Gerald R. Ford.
Three years later, he was an elected judge of Jefferson County. People trusted McConnell and he was eventually re-elected to this position in 1981.

Mitch McConnell delivers a speech in Washington

Work in the US Senate

Starting his career as a politician, McConnell confidently supported the Republicans, but over time his views changed. One writer wrote of him: "he went from a moderate Republican who supported abortion rights and public employee unions to the embodiment of partisan obstructionism and conservative orthodoxy on Capitol Hill." In 1997, he was elected to the position of chairman responsible for ensuring the Republicans ' election.At the 108th Congress, McConnell was elected as a Whip, and he managed to be re-elected to this position in 2004. Later, the Republicans elected McConnell as the minority leader.
In 2014, McConnell was elected community leader in the Senate. Republicans admired McConnell and in 2018 he became their sole leader. McConnell differed from other politicians with his clearly chosen strategy and tactics. However, there is one dark spot in his policy - the Affordable Care Act. His party failed to repeal this law.

"he went from a moderate Republican who supported abortion rights and public employee unions to the embodiment of partisan obstructionism and conservative orthodoxy on Capitol Hill."

Work during the administration of Barack Obama

Mitch McConnell at a meeting with Barack Obama

McConnell was opposed to Republicans who were trying to negotiate with the Obama administration. McConnell accepted the clear opposition. One political scientist wrote about this situation:a clean vote along party lines has been evident for some time ... but rarely so boldly declares the tactics of "oppositionism"as McConnell did." McConnell did not want to cooperate with anyone and listen to someone else's opinion.In October 2010, McConnell said that "the single most important thing we want to do is. the achievement for President Obama is to be president for one term ."

Using the Pirate

Mitch McConnell's speech for Republicans

McConnell's most famous tactic was pirating. A filibuster is an attempt to "talk the bill to death" by forcing the Senate leadership to abandon the proposed measure instead of waiting for a pirate - or at least to postpone the adoption of the measure. This strategy creates an atmosphere of deadlock and confusion among senators. McConnell used this tactic in 2012, which allowed Barack Obama to raise the debt ceiling, I hope that some Democratic senators will oppose it. On another occasion, Republicans under McConnell eliminated the pirate of Supreme Court nominees to end the debate over Neil Gorsuch's candidacy .

Government shutdown

In October 2013, the US government stopped its work for the period from 1 to 17 due to the fact that the government received a funding refusal. McConnell said he would allow Republicans to obstruct the federal budget process. In July 2018, McConnell announced the suspension of the construction of a wall on the border of Mexico and the United States, for the period until the inter-admission exams are completed. In August, President Donald Trump announced that there would be a government shutdown. McConnell took this news as a personal victory in preventing a government shutdown.

Relations with the Trump administration

Mitch McConnell at a meeting with Donald Trump

In October 2017, White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon and other Trump allies accused McConnell of slowing down the adoption of the law by the Trump administration. Connell cited Neil Gorsuch's confirmation to the Supreme Court to show that the Senate supports Trump's agenda. During the 2016 presidential campaign, McConnell initially supported Rand Paul, but later he switched to the side of Donald Trump. However, then there were a number of unpleasant situations related to the policy and behavior of Donald Trump. For example, according to McConnell, Trump was biased against Ganselo Curiel because of his Mexican origin.Trump was also called into non-violence towards the parents of Humayun Khan, to which McConnell was outraged and spoke out about it:"We all came here from somewhere else".

"We all came here from somewhere else"

The impeachment process

On November 5, 2019, during the impeachment of Donald Trump, McConnell said:"I will say that I am almost sure how the impeachment can end. If it was today, I don't think there will be a question that this will not lead to the "removal of President Trump from office." Later, there was a meeting between McConnell and the White House lawyer. Later it was said that the Senate has no chance to remove Donald Trump from the post of US president.
McConnell believed that senators should act as a jury judge and nothing more: "I am not an impartial juror. This is a political process. There is nothing judicial about this."McConnell fought for Trump and tried to get him acquitted and keep him as president.

"I will say that I am almost sure how the impeachment can end. If it was today, I don't think there will be a question that this will not lead to the "removal of President Trump from office."

Actions in relation to the pandemic

Mitch McConnell and his wife

McConnell was against any action in relation to COVID-19, he considered it unnecessary, but after Donald Trump approved the law on responding to coronavirus for families, he changed his mind and supported Trump. Democrats and Republicans almost unanimously supported the projects :The law on Additional appropriations for Coronavirus Preparedness and Response, 2020 and the CARES Act (at this time, McConnell coordinated the actions of Republicans)McConnell proposed declaring bankruptcy instead of paying additional funds to the insolvent population, but his words were severely criticized by other politicians. The United States cannot declare bankruptcy. He did not believe that any necessary measures were needed to combat the pandemic,and Congress proposed to take a short pause to see how events would develop in the future.

It was written in the press that McConnell does not visit the White House, because he is afraid of meeting with the administration of Donald Trump. In one of his interviews, he said: "I personally did not feel that they resorted to protection from diseases in the same way that I thought was appropriate for the Senate, and the Senate acted in a way that, I think, prevented the spread of the disease to a certain extent."McConnell supported the idea of wearing masks in public places and maintaining social distance.

"I personally did not feel that they resorted to protection from diseases in the same way that I thought was appropriate for the Senate, and the Senate acted in a way that, I think, prevented the spread of the disease to a certain extent."

McConnell's political views

en At the beginning of his career, McConnell held moderate views - he supported civil rights, supported women's rights and trade unions. However, McConnell later became a supporter of the conservative side.He supported the opposition to Obamacare. He was also against the US Healthcare Reform Law. McConnell was interested in strengthening the borders and security of the state, reducing taxes for citizens. He actively supported sanctions against countries such as Russia, Cuba and Iran.

Personal life

Mitch McConnell had two marriages. He has three children from his first marriage. McConnell has been married to Elaine Lan Chao since 1993. She is an active political figure in the United States and until January 11, 2021, she served as the Minister of Transport in the administration of Donald Trump. She became the first Asian woman to hold the post of a US cabinet minister.

Mitch McConnell's wife-Elaine LanChao