Share this page!

Sahil Kapur Profile picture
Twitter logo
25 Jan, 6 tweets, 3 min read
NEW: The Senate is paralyzed over a filibuster clash, with high stakes for Joe Biden's agenda.

McConnell opposes a rules package unless Dems pledge to keep the 60-vote threshold, in essence filibustering a transfer of power.

Dems say hell no.

What now?

nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
Scooplet here: Progressive group @accountable_us calls on @SenSchumer to NUKE the filibuster to pass a Senate organizing resolution if McConnell doesn't relent.

And so it begins.

nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
Democrats already run the Senate floor. But without an organizing resolution, Republicans still control the committees — an unusual power for a minority party. As a result, Biden's legislative agenda can't get off the ground. nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
For now, Democrats don't have the votes to go nuclear.

Among the supporters of the 60-vote rule: @kyrstensinema.

"Kyrsten is against eliminating the filibuster," a Sinema spokeswoman says. nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
.@Sen_JoeManchin also wants to preserve the filibuster.

He predicts Republicans will be constructive partners: "They know we all have to work together. You just can't basically be objectionable to everything just because you're in the minority now." nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
Another weird dynamic in this Senate rules logjam: Sens. Ossoff, Warnock and Padilla have no committee assignments.

Many other senators don’t know if they’ll keep or lose committee seats they’re currently on.

nbcnews.com/politics/congr…

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
　

Keep Current with Sahil Kapur

Sahil Kapur Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @sahilkapur

Sahil Kapur Profile picture
28 Jan
NEW: Democrats prepare to go it alone on Covid relief if Republicans don't cooperate

They've begun to explore budget reconciliation to bypass the 60-vote rule.

Bipartisan meetings have yielded no progress to a deal.

w/ @LACaldwellDC @JulieNBCNews 👇

nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
There's some hesitation among Dems about pivoting to a party-line effort so soon. But that's increasingly where this is headed. Little appetite to cut down Biden's plan to add a "bipartisan" label to it.

Republicans say this defies Biden's "unity" pitch.

nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
How far apart are the two parties on Covid relief? Miles. Democrats want Biden's $1.9T plan. Among Republicans, even the most moderate say that's far too big and want to limit this to vaccine distribution and reopening schools.

Dems say that won't cut it. nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
Read 6 tweets
Sahil Kapur Profile picture
24 Jan
The is a common progressive response to the “aren’t you worried what happens when Republicans take power?” question. A decade ago this consensus wasn’t there. Now many will say they’ve considered it and decided the tradeoff is worth it.
Progressive fear about ending the filibuster under Obama was an all-GOP gov’t would carve up the safety net, privatize Medicare and make Ryan budget law. Turns out that stuff wasn’t attempted or failed and/or backfired politically. Rightly or wrongly, movement’s attitude changed.
What might a future all-GOP gov’t do without a filibuster? A 20-week abortion ban would’ve passed under Trump. Border wall money would’ve passed. Gun rights could be expanded. Beyond that, tax cuts can bypass the 60-vote rule and much deregulation can be done by executive action.
Read 5 tweets
Sahil Kapur Profile picture
21 Jan
NEW: Biden makes an urgent plea for unity to tackle the country’s problems. But Republicans have a different vision of unity: one where he doesn’t do things that upset their voters. And their voters want the party to oppose him.

On Biden’s dilemma 👇

nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
Biden and Republicans have incompatible definitions of “unity.”

How the new president approaches this puzzle will shape prospects for his agenda and Dems’ political future.

nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
Former Obama adviser @danpfeiffer: “There will be a tendency among many press and pundits to condense Biden's promise to heal the soul of the nation into nothing more than appeasing congressional Republicans. Team Biden will need to push back” nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
Read 5 tweets
Sahil Kapur Profile picture
20 Jan
A round of applause in the chamber as Vice President Harris takes the Senate chair.
It's official: Raphael Warnock (GA), Alex Padilla (CA) and Jon Ossoff (GA) are now senators, sworn in by @VP Harris.
And with that, Chuck Schumer is formally recognized as the majority leader for the first time.
Read 4 tweets
Sahil Kapur Profile picture
20 Jan
NEWS: Executive actions Biden plans to issue today

-Rejoin Paris accord
-Fortify DACA
-Undo Muslim ban
-Stop border wall
-Order unified Covid response
-Eviction/foreclosure freeze —> 3/31
-Extend student loan pause —> 9/30
-Rescind Trump’s 1776 commish
-Undo Trump EO on Census
There is a lot more in the executive actions Biden's team says he'll issue on Day One, including a 100-day masking challenge, LGBT protections and reversing or reviewing a broad range of Trump actions/regs across departments (too many to name).
These are just Biden's day one executive actions. Incoming press secretary @jrpsaki says there are more to come, "including revoking the ban on military service by transgender Americans, and reversing the Mexico City policy."
Read 4 tweets
Sahil Kapur Profile picture
19 Jan
At today's meeting, McConnell told Schumer he wants the legislative filibuster to remain in tact as part of any power-organizing deal in the 50-50 Senate for the next 2 years, per McConnell spokesman, who says talks on all aspects of it "will continue over the next several days."
Some context: The filibuster is already a longstanding Senate rule and can't really be codified more than it is.

McConnell's ask of Schumer is essentially a gentleman's agreement or promise not to nuke it.

A bare majority can change this rule with a vote to set a new precedent.
The votes aren't there to end the legislative filibuster. Unclear that'll change. So it's a weapon Schumer can't use. But it's a bold ask of McConnell to make him promise not to—risks antagonizing the new leader's base out of the gate and giving up some leverage if times change.
Read 6 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!

This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Too expensive? Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal Become our Patreon

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us on Twitter!

Like this author's thread?

Get emails when @sahilkapur has new unrolls!

Check out other threads from @sahilkapur!

Read all threads by @sahilkapur