Let's be clear. Mitch McConnell doesn't just want to protect the legislative filibuster because he's in the minority. He wants to protect it because it asymmetrically blocks Democrats from passing their agenda, but not Republicans.
Think about it.
Democrats' agenda actually requires legislation. Expanding health care. Creating green jobs. Campaign finance reform. Full voting rights for all. You have to pass a bill in the Senate for all of these.
Democrats' agenda actually requires legislation. Expanding health care. Creating green jobs. Campaign finance reform. Full voting rights for all. You have to pass a bill in the Senate for all of these.
On the other hand, nothing Republicans want to do requires legislation.
Cut taxes on the rich? That can go in the budget.
Repeal regulations? Executive agencies can do that.
Roll back women's rights, voting rights, gun control? That's what judges are for.
Cut taxes on the rich? That can go in the budget.
Repeal regulations? Executive agencies can do that.
Roll back women's rights, voting rights, gun control? That's what judges are for.
Republicans have spent decades installing just the right appointees, creating just the right rules, such that *even under a Democratic government*, a Republican agenda is easier to pass than a Democratic one.
Nuking the filibuster would wipe all that out at a stroke.
Nuking the filibuster would wipe all that out at a stroke.
When you consider, it's amazing how many problems in the federal government — the abdication of lawmaking to executive agencies, the growing power of courts the GOP now controls — all come back to the Senate being nonfunctional, which in turn comes back to the filibuster.
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