Democrats frustrated as filibuster fight blocks Senate power-sharing deal

Republicans are trying to capitalize on the urgency to pass an organizing resolution to pressure Democrats to agree not to dump the filibuster for the legislation. But with Democrats adamantly refusing to do so, it’s unclear how long it will take the parties to reach a deal and it could drag on and on.

A unique feature of the Senate

McConnell argues that preserving a majority vote to pass legislation is a unique and important feature of the Senate, which the founders said should be a body where compromise between the parties would be necessary to balance the strict rule. of the House of Representatives, based on majority.

McConnell also argues that Democrats have used filibuster many times when in the minority to block Republicans and the Trump administration’s legislation.

Schumer, who had said his caucus would have a serious discussion about it if he took control of the Senate, did not say if he wanted to change the obstruction of the legislation. But he doesn’t want to rule out the possibility lest Republicans get in the way of almost anything Democrats put on the floor.

Democratic Senate Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois said his party “was not going to give in” to McConnell’s wishes: “If you did that it would just be rampant use. I mean, nothing would hold him back.

Democratic resistance

Despite dismay over the issue, it doesn’t appear that Democrats have enough support in their caucus to change the rules, as at least two centrists are resisting.

“Chuck is right to do this, he’s the leader. I’m in the minority in the caucus on this,” Manchin said. “He has the right to use this to take advantage of whatever he wants to do.”

Senator Angus King, an independent from Maine, said he did not want to consider changing the filibuster unless he determines the Republicans are abusing it.

“At the moment, we don’t know if there will be abuse,” he said. “If they’re going to use it to obstruct absolutely everything, then I’m ready to change my mind.”

Supporters of filibuster have reason to fear that it will be reduced further. Both parties stuck on partisan votes – known as the “nuclear option” – changes to Senate rules to weaken filibusters against candidates. Democrats first did so in 2013 to facilitate confirmation of nominees for the executive and judiciary of then-President Barack Obama. Republicans extended it in 2017 to Supreme Court candidates, knocking out three of President Donald Trump’s high court choices.

On the organizational resolution, Schumer argues that the Senate should pass the same power-sharing agreement that was passed in 2001, the last time the Senate was split 50-50. This agreement was silent on the elimination of filibuster, which was not used as often as it is today.

“Our caucus believes that the easiest and most bipartisan way to achieve an organizational resolution is to enact the 2001 accord that Senators Lott and Daschle reached at the time in a bipartisan fashion. We, our caucus, are firmly opposed to any unnecessary provision. He said, referring to then-Republican leader Trent Lott of Mississippi and then-Democratic leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota.

But McConnell argued that the 60 vote threshold for legislative obstruction is a permanent Senate rule and therefore should be respected in the organizing resolution.

“If the discourse of unity and common ground is to make sense, and certainly if the rules of 20 years ago are to be our guide, then I can’t imagine the Democratic leader preferring to maintain the ‘power-sharing agreement and simply reaffirm that his camp will not violate this permanent Senate rule, ”McConnell said on the floor.

Hawaii Democratic Senator Brian Schatz summed up Democrats’ frustration at the stalemate as follows: “McConnell threatens to obstruct the organizational resolution that allows Democrats to take over the positions of chairman of the committee. This is an absolutely unprecedented, far-fetched and counterproductive request. Senate. We get the hammers. “