Listening to headlines make me want to keep the chamber frozen. if no bills go through then there are no riders attached. If there are no riders there is no money forbthe D.S. if there is no new money for the D.S., the D.S. has to expend favors and IOUs. the more IOUs they spend, the less power they have.
Keep the D.S under siege!!!
"Our lives, our liberty, and our property are never in greater danger than when Congress is in session." -- Mark Twain
so perhaps this is a WH move, part of the plan.