In a Democracy, there is an inherent problem when a united majority is unable to tackle their agenda and pass legislation. In the simplest of terms, a Democracy is a government in which the power is vested in the people. If the people, through their elected representatives, are not able to govern themselves, Democracy is broken.
Today, the filibuster in the U.S. Senate is preventing our Democracy from functioning. Americans are not able to reap the benefits of self rule, because the minority is preventing nearly every legislative item, supported by the majority, from being passed into law.
According to the Senate glossary, a filibuster is an "Informal term for any attempt to block or delay Senate action on a bill or other matter by debating it at length, by offering numerous procedural motions, or by any other delaying or obstructive actions."
In more colloquial language, the filibuster allows for the minority to demand a supermajority vote (60 votes) to end debate and move forward on a final vote. The practical result of the filibuster is that 60 votes, not 51 votes, are needed to pass almost everything.
Perhaps surprisingly, eliminating the filibuster only requires a simple majority vote in the Senate.
So why hasn’t the filibuster been eliminated entirely?
The filibuster protects the minority, and anyone who has watched politics knows that the party in power rarely stays the party in power for too long.
Imagine, for example, if former President Trump has won reelection and the Senate was evenly divided, as it is today. Democrats would rely on the filibuster to prevent Republicans from implementing their agenda. Democrats would likely use the filibuster to fend off the mandating of voter ID laws, stop the completion of the southern border wall and hamper Republicans attempts to limit access to abortion.
Despite the protections that the filibuster would provide Democrats should they find themselves in the minority again, it is imperative that they eliminate it.
By eliminating the filibuster, Democrats will take a huge step forward towards ensuring that they never find themselves in the minority again.
Once the filibuster is eliminated, Senate Democrats will be able to pass the For The People Act.
This legislation would expand voting rights, overhaul campaign finance laws, reduce congressional gerrymandering and increase protections against foreign interference in U.S. elections.
On the surface, the For The People Act might not seem to favor one political party over the other, but Republican have made clear that it is bad for their electoral prospects.
Senate Minority Leader McConnell (R-KY) has said the legislation would allow Democrats to "grab unprecedented power" and tilt elections in their favor.
More bluntly, former President Trump has said that efforts to increase voting are “crazy,” and too much voting would mean “you’d never have a Republican elected in this country again.”
In addition, with the elimination of the filibuster, Democrats will have their best chance of approving statehood for the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
If D.C. and Puerto Rico become states, four new Senators will join Congress - at least three of which will likely be Democrats. In the 2020 Presidential Election, D.C voted over 92 percent for Joe Biden.
Due to the ever increasing polarization, Republicans and Democrats rarely compromise and pass meaningful legislation. Ceaseless gridlock is not acceptable to the American people. Americans deserve to have a government that works for them. Democrats must eliminate the filibuster and take the steps necessary to ensure they are able to pass their agenda and govern.
Comments