Because of the current Supreme Court disaster, this is a thought I recently had. Everyone knows how the Senate Majority leader at the time was able to unilaterally stop Obama's nominee by not holding a vote.
However, the US constitution does establish that the Vice President (at the time, Biden) holds the position of "President of the Senate" (basically equivalent to being the Senate's chief presiding officer I imagine?):
The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.
The Senate shall choose their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of the President of the United States.
While the Senate seems empowered to name other officers to run itself, that seems to be only in the absence of the VP. So if Biden stepped in, wouldn't he suddenly be the one in charge of everything?
I do know that the US constitution also claims that each House has the power to make up its own rules, but wouldn't this contradict the earlier statement that the VP is the President of the Senate?
Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behavior, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a member.
I am 99% sure that if Biden could have, he would have stepped in, but could someone explain exactly why that would have been illegal or have no basis in law?
Wouldn't Biden be able to step in as "president of the Senate" and force a vote? Or at least be able to mount a credible case to the Supreme Court that he has the power to force votes?
And more broadly:
What is the point of the VP being "President of the Senate" if he actually is completely powerless?
