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