Three Historic Senators Later, Democrats Have Chamber Control

[inversion]

Gotta kill leg filibuster to get that

[inversion]

googles ‘sun vulcan theme’

[dr_coyote]

@skeptical

The highest-ranking Black member of Congress says former President George W. Bush lauded his role as a “savior” in helping get President Joe Biden elected to the White House.

Fuck George W. Where the fuck was he in the past 5 years?

@sniffit

Manchin needs to be kept on a short leash by making sure he’s both happy and under control.

Manchin has been infuriating at times but–even before now–him voting with Dems on key bills has been essential. You may not like him, but he consistently won reelection and he supported Dem initiatives except when they would have been electoral suicide.

[inversion]

@sniffit

What the Dems giveth, they can taketh away…and I’m sure he’d like to keep that Chairmanship

Though 2022 could end this problem (Toomey’s seat), it’s 50-50 right now.

[noonm]

Fully killing the filibuster is not happening, but there are ways to weaken it.

5 ideas to reform the filibuster that Joe Manchin might actually support

Quick summary:

1) The “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” rule

2) 41 to block, instead of 60 to pass

3) More exceptions to the filibuster rule

4) Overcome the filibuster with a vote in two Congresses

5) Lower the filibuster threshold

If we can’t eliminate the filibuster, I’m partial to options 1 and/or 2. Force Republicans to have to either a) hold the floor or b) whip votes against bills rather than forcing the majority to do so.

[sniffit]

@inversion

Though 2022 could end this problem (Toomey’s seat), it’s 50-50 right now.

Let us hope, because the subcommittee for the environmental stuff is under Energy I think and he’s going to be a problem on that score.

[emiliano4]

Let’s ALL pat ourselves on the back.

[terrycarroll]

Joe Manchin is absolutely the most valuable and important person in the Democratic Party. He needs to be respected, appreciated, and given some allowances in his voting. Because the one and only vote that absolutely matters from him is that he puts Democrats in the Senate majority, wresting it away from the stranglehold of the Republicans.

This is simple politics 101. When you have a razor thin majority, the most vulnerable person in your caucus is the most important. He hails from West Virginia, for Ef’s sake! W.V. doesn’t offer the kind of fruitful possibilities Georgia does, which has been enjoying a return “Great Migration” of sorts in recent years, as well as a growth in their educated jobs class. Abrams didn’t grow votes out of nothing; the population was there, and she cultivated it. West Virginia doesn’t have that dynamic, not right now, and we only have Joe Manchin in the Senate because his family has deep roots from another era of that state’s political history.

That is why I – a progressive from Oakland, California – have contributed multiple times to Joe’s political coffers: because I want the Democrats to control the Senate!

[occamscoin]

@terrycarroll

He hails from West Virginia, for Ef’s sake! W.V. doesn’t offer the kind of fruitful possibilities Georgia does

I think by 2022 WV will have seen love and attention like they haven’t seen since Robert Byrd was in his heyday.

[emiliano4]

Word.

WV once had Jay Rockefeller

[mpower1952]

Energy committee. Is he going to push coal?

[inversion]

There’s a lot in there

[inversion]

@noonm

Force Republicans to have to either a) hold the floor or b) whip votes against bills rather than forcing the majority to do so

McConnell is still the minority leader.

[dr_coyote]

@terrycarroll

That is why I – a progressive from Oakland, California – have contributed multiple times to Joe’s political coffers: because I want the Democrats to control the Senate!

+1000

[tpr]

It is absolutely terrifying that even after last year’s sham impeachment trial, where GOP Senators defied the will of over 70% of America, we could only eke out a 50-50 Senate.

This is just statistical noise. The Senate is still owned by the super-rich, and that’s not an accident: it’s the most convenient choke-hold on American government.

We have 21 months to inflict major structural damage on the oligarchy’s wholly-owned GOP. Anything less will lead to a repeat of the Obama years, and neither our democracy nor our planet will survive.

[inversion]

I don’t know

[1gg]

Well I’m from Georgia and you have no idea how proud I am of my state but let’s not forget it is all thanks to Stacey Abrams.

[kovie]

I just realized that, if I recall my high school order of succession lesson, Biden’s backstops are all Dems, from Harris to Pelosi to Leahy, then the cabinet (State, Treasury, Defense, AG, etc.). We’re covered.

[skeptical]

[greenman66]

We have to count on losing Manchin’s seat in 4 years if he doesn’t run again. Hopefully, it won’t be needed by then. In the meantime, he is in a position to bring home the bacon to WV and I expect they know it.