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. @LeaderMcConnell would *much* rather have this argument about the filibuster now on a very-boring-sounding organizing resolution than on a popular piece of legislation he's blocking. But don't be fooled. /THREAD
What McConnell is saying out loud right now is that he wants to be able to block:
Democracy reform
DC Statehood
Inclusive COVID recovery
Meaningful climate legislation
Gun control
And basically all of our priorities, despite a Democratic majority.
Democracy reformDC StatehoodInclusive COVID recoveryMeaningful climate legislationGun controlAnd basically all of our priorities, despite a Democratic majority.
Eliminating the filibuster is not extreme. @LeaderMcConnell already did it on his biggest priority (see: SCOTUS). And it's been amended lots of other times.
The filibuster is inherently undemocratic and not required under the Constitution. For *most* of the Senate's 230-year history, legislation was passed with simple majorities. You can read more about this in @IndivisibleTeam's explainer here: https://indivisible.org/resource/congress-101-filibuster
And there's a reason it wasn't written into the Constitution. The founders were well aware of the dangers of minority rule and designed the Senate to be majoritarian. Read this great piece from Rob Goodman and Jimmy Soni from the Atlantic in 2011. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/03/how-the-filibuster-wrecked-the-roman-senate-and-could-wreck-ours/72776/
The filibuster was used to block landmark civil rights legislation numerous times throughout the 20th century. It was used to block bipartisan gun violence legislation after Sandy Hook. It was used to block the DREAM Act in 2010.
This is simple: elections have consequences, and we're counting on @SenSchumer and Democrats in the Senate to act like it. Mitch McConnell has already changed the rules to advance *his* priorities -- and Democrats need to do the same to advance theirs.
Call your senators & tell them not to compromise with McConnell. Anything that requires keeping the filibuster in place is a nonstarter. You should also tell them you want them to eliminate it so they can get to work fighting for the things we sent them to Congress to fight for.
