The Briefing Room
General Category => Politics/Government => Topic started by: mystery-ak on March 05, 2021, 05:52:49 pm
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Sen. Tina Smith calls for eliminating filibuster
By Jordan Williams - 03/05/21 12:20 PM EST
Sen. Tina Smith (Minn.) on Friday became the latest Democratic senator to call for eliminating the Senate filibuster.
“I’ve made up my mind. We need to move this country forward, and that’s why I’ve decided t come out in support of eliminating the filibuster,†Smith said on Twitter.
Smith in a Facebook post on Thursday said she initially supported keeping the filibuster, but had determined it was an "enemy of progress."
“Without it, I reasoned, what would stop a conservative president and Congress from doing terrible damage to women’s health care, voting rights and civil rights,†Smith wrote of her initial position.
“But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that the filibuster has long been the enemy of progress. In fact, it’s been a highly effective tool to thwart the will of the people,†she wrote.
Smith also criticized the argument that the filibuster protects the minority party’s rights against the majority.
“What the filibuster does is allow a minority of Senators to just say no to any idea they don’t like,†she wrote. “They don’t have to negotiate because they can stop anything. [Senate Minority Leader Mitch] McConnell (R-Ky.) is the master of obstruction, but the big problem is that this is fundamentally undemocratic.â€
more
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/541818-sen-tina-smith-calls-for-eliminating-filibuster
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“But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that the filibuster has long been the enemy of progress. In fact, it’s been a highly effective tool to thwart the will of the people,†she wrote
I disagree.
It is there to stop an unbridled, power hungry Congress.
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“What the filibuster does is allow a minority of Senators to just say no to any idea they don’t like,†she wrote.
What the filibuster did was allow Democrats to block anti-lynching legislation and numerous other Civil Rights bills for an entire century.
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The fillibuster was a dim brainchild a few decades ago when it suited them. Typical SOB's want to play only by their rules.
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If the filibuster goes, the welfare of this country goes with it.
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Maybe bringing back earmarks would help grease the skids. Senators love to build monuments to themselves back home.
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RINO wrote:
"Maybe bringing back earmarks would help grease the skids. Senators love to build monuments to themselves back home."
Hmmm....
Seems to me they've already done that (at least in the House)...?