Senate Democrats are hoping to overturn the 2016 election and maintain control of the Executive Branch by dredging up a strategy first proposed a century and a half ago.

In 1860, following the election of Abraham Lincoln, Georgia Democrat Alexander Stephens argued that the Democratic Senate majority could cripple Lincoln by refusing to approve his cabinet nominations and demanding a cabinet “utterly opposed to his views.” According to Stephens, “Mr. Lincoln will be compelled to ask of the Senate to choose for him a cabinet.”

This is the policy now adopted by Senate Democrats, insisting that no one can legitimately hold a cabinet position unless that person holds the same opinions as the Democratic Party. Fortunately, since Democrats are three votes short of a majority, they must depend on getting a few establishment Republicans to put them over the top, but they believe this can be done.

Consider Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), nominated for Attorney General. The fact that Sessions, as a U.S. Attorney, had prosecuted someone for vote fraud caused Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to accuse him of “outright opposition to voting rights.” Having opposed amnesty for illegal aliens led liberal critics to say he had demonstrated “a hostility toward many members of the Latino community in the United States that is unacceptable.” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) twisted Sessions’ pro-life position into “hostility and antipathy” toward women’s rights.

Clearly the only way for Sessions to satisfy these Democrats would be to adopt entirely the ideas of Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch, keeping alive the Obama administration policies.

Sen. Cory Booker put out the welcome mat for establishment Republicans, claiming that “Jeff Sessions is even out of line with the Republican caucus.” He hopes Republican senators will repudiate their party’s platform and president by joining with the Democrats to defeat Sessions – but so far none have taken up his offer.

Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, nominated to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is another prime example of the Democrat’s strategy. According to Politico’s Elana Schor, Democrats “see the potential to turn GOP votes against him” because Pruitt refuses to fall in with the party line that man-made climate change is “settled science.” Instead, Pruitt co-authored an article pointing out the disagreements among climate scientists and defending the First Amendment rights of those who dissent from the scientific establishment. Already former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has been trotted out to say that it would “save lives” if Pruitt’s nomination is stopped. Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) was very clear about what Democrats would demand in a new EPA Director. “We cannot roll back the progress we made in the past eight years” – i.e. the Obama policies must remain untouched, even though the voters preferred change. (Ironically, on the day of Pruitt’s first committee hearing, climate alarmists released figures conceding that for the second year in a row global temperatures were flat – rising only 0.01 degree, well within the 0.1 degree margin of error.)

Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) has also come under strong attack. Democrats know that Price is thoroughly committed to carrying out President Trump’s pledge to repeal ObamaCare. In fact, Price was among the first members of Congress to propose an ObamaCare replacement. Democratic propaganda insists that ObamaCare is far better than any alternative (except fully government-controlled medical care), and that no replacement could be superior. Only by blocking all efforts to pass a replacement can they protect their myth from exposure.

Senate Democrats have chosen to attack Price for alleged conflicts of interest regarding stock purchases. However, even the liberal, pro-ObamaCare Washington Post has reported that Price himself played no role in the purchases, which were made without consultation by his stock broker.

So far this phony “scandal” has not shifted any Republicans into announcing they will vote against Price. However, with the “scandal” in the headlines and on the evening news day after day, some GOP Senators may decide that voting for Price would cost them their good standing with the Washington insiders.

A handful of establishment Republican Senators will determine whether President Trump has cabinet members who support and will carry out his agenda. Be sure that your Senators know that you want them to vote for confirmation. Strong Democratic opposition is the best proof that these nominees are the right men for the job.