Democrats no longer want to do away with filibuster
Senate Democrats are set to rekindle their love for the very procedural tool they spent years trying to weaken: the filibuster.
Soon to be in the minority, Democrats are ready to use whatever tactics are at their disposal to put up roadblocks for Republicans and President-elect Donald Trump — including the 60-vote threshold many have long sought to abolish.
“I’d be lying if I said we’d be in a better position without the filibuster,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said. “We have a responsibility to stop autocratic and long-headed abuse of power or policy, and we’ll use whatever tools we have available. We’re not going to fight this battle with one hand tied behind our back.”
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) sees the filibuster as “part of the calculation” to how Democrats will spearhead resistance next Congress in a chamber with a 53-47 GOP majority.
“We had to live with it when we were in the majority,” he said.
Senate Democrats under President Joe Biden sought to transform the legislative filibuster, with wide-ranging proposals from eliminating it altogether to creating policy carveouts for issues such as federal voting rights, abortion access, and gun control. But Sens. Joe Manchin (I-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), ardent defenders of the legislative hurdle, stood in their way.
With the duo’s retirements, Democrats saw an opportunity next year to finally alter the modern 60-vote rule that has been in place for most legislation since 1975. But then Republicans flipped four seats in the elections, along with the majority.
...
Being in the minority again appears to have changed their attitude toward the filibuster. Not only are they in the minority, but they lost the presidency. That tends to shape their attitude toward the filibuster.
Comments
Post a Comment