Over 350 scholars, historians and political scientists urge Congress to take action on filibuster reform in a new letter first obtained by TPM, arguing that the Framers never intended for the Senate to rely on supermajorities to pass even routine, bipartisan legislation.
There’s also not a natural rallying point for that fight to play out right now, given the assumption that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) will save the filibuster showdown until it’s over legislation he knows he has 50 votes to pass. That doesn’t appear to exist right now: Democrats are divided over whether to stand behind HR1, the House’s comprehensive voting rights package, or to peel off a smaller and narrower bill named for the late Rep. John Lewis (D-GA); Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) hasn’t signed onto the Equality Act which protects LGBTQ rights; lawmakers are still working on proposals in the gun and policing reform areas.
So, not just the GQP to curse apparently. They may be fascistic racists, but sometimes goose stepping in lockstep has tactical advantages.
Too bad this is too long for a bumper sticker:
“A government unable to produce results that significant majorities of the public elect their representatives to deliver is no longer a representative government.”
End the filibuster. End the electoral college. End the non-state status of DC and PR. For all of these actions, the GOP has to design poison pills.
It’s not enough to end filibuster reform. Dems. must pass voting rights reforms NOW (this delay is beyond dangerous), add D.C. and Puerto Rico as states, and increase the Supreme Court to 15. We must do this now or Republicons will do it the first chance they get (which, given Americans’ notoriously short memories, could be as soon as 2024).
McConnell on COVID Relief: ”Going to get ZERO Republican votes.”
McConnell on Infrastructure: ”Not going to get ANY support from our side.”
McConnell on Voting Rights: ”GOP stands UNITED in opposition.”
But, by all means, Sens. Manchin and Sinema, do natter on about dreamy “bipartisan cooperation”.
Now, now, they are models of bipartisan cooperation!
Manchin and Sinema cooperate with the Republicans to block the Dem agenda quite often.
Extra points for correct use of “natter”.
Nay, Bob.
Excuse me…are you calling them Nabobs?
Shoot… @Leeharveygriswold beat me to the Spiro-ism.
Ooooh, firing on all cylinders today: more points for invoking Agnew obliquely in word play.
It never was meant to really be representative.
The whole design of the checks and balances was to ensure that the will of the people would always be secondary to the will of the ruling class.
The masses got the House, who can do nothing without the consent of the Senate, whose members were appointed, not elected.
Both then have to pass by the President, who is not elected by the masses, but by the electoral college, set up to fix the problem if the masses voted for the wrong person.
And the judiciary, which looks over the shoulder of the other branches, is entirely appointed and confirmed by, not coincidentally, the two bodies who weren’t elected by the people…
Only because the Dems insist on divisive legislation.
A resolution that Ted Cruz is the most punchable face in America would garner 100 votes in the Senate, including his own.
So, you think Ted would agree?
Republican: “Them 350 eleetes are libtards anyway, so don’t pay them no nevermind.”
As exasperating as this topic is, it does have something to do with the actions of Democrats, and it avoids going out of one’s way to describe the GOP’s latest “outrage”.
This is the stuff that, unfortunately, going to have to be both public and private:
(1) We must engage the public about our legislation
(2) We must bargain in some back-rooms, using some tools that may not be bandied about very much
Sorry, these people have been living in an alternate universe. EVERYONE on this planet knows Republicans are not interested in [1] representative government, [2] governance, [3] democracy.
I’ve been reading up on Manchin. He has a history of saying he is against something until he is for it (once he gets something else that he wants). He is a horse trader when it comes to politics. I just wonder what it is that he wants.
I like this story. It should be repeated hourly.
Over 350 scholars, historians and political scientists urge Congress to take action on filibuster reform…
It’s like they can’t stop talking about it.