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Former Sen. Joe Lieberman believes that eliminating legislative filibuster, an initiative that some Congressional Democrats support, “will ultimately not be good for our country.” The former senator, who was Al Gore’s vice president in 2000, said Democrats should avoid the “strong temptation” to take this step.
“In the Senate, the 60-vote requirement is actually a major incentive for people from both parties to come together and do something, because very rarely a party has 60 votes,” Lieberman said in an interview with the correspondent of CBS News in Washington. Major Garrett for this week’s episode of “The Takeout” podcast.
Highlights from this week’s episode:
- Former Senator Joe Lieberman on the importance of filibuster: “In the Senate, the 60 vote requirement is actually a major incentive for people from both parties to come together and do something, because very rarely does a party have 60 votes.”
- Provision in Biden’s Coronavirus Relief Bill to Increase Minimum Wage: I think if you block something controversial like that it’s going to create a problem for the rest of the two years and make it harder for Congress and President Biden to do a lot of things that really need to be done. “
- Constitutionality of holding an impeachment trial for former President Trump: “I think the House was right in impeaching President Trump and I think it is fair for the Senate to hold a trial.”
- Censorship resolution against Mr. Trump: “I think a trial needs to take place, and if there aren’t enough sentencing votes at the end, I think there should be a bipartisan statement of censure from President Trump for his behavior in regarding the election. “
Democrats currently have a 50-seat majority in the Senate, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting a deciding vote. If Democrats cleared the filibuster, it would allow legislation to move forward with a simple majority of 51 votes instead of reaching a 60-vote threshold, meaning Democrats could pass legislation without any Republican support. However, at least two Democrats – Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema – have expressed their opposition to ending the filibuster.
“I’m glad it looks like the Senate will no longer vote to end the filibuster. I think President Biden and members of the Senate really should have this pressure to compromise, to come to the center to do get things done, ”says Lieberman. Lieberman, who served with President Biden in the Senate for two decades, argued that the president is “essentially a center-left Democrat” who will be able to negotiate with Republicans.
He also cautioned against using the budget reconciliation process to pass Mr Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus relief proposal. Using budget reconciliation allows the Senate to advance budget laws with a simple majority, instead of 60 votes.
“Reconciliation could be overused,” Lieberman said. “It’s not really a way forward if you can avoid it.”
And he would oppose breaking budget reconciliation rules to pass the proposal, which includes a provision raising the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour.
“I wouldn’t be stuck with an increase in the minimum wage,” Lieberman said. “I think if you block something controversial like that it’s going to create a problem for the rest of the two years and make it harder for Congress and President Biden to do a lot of things that really need to be done. “
Lieberman also discussed the upcoming impeachment trial against former President Trump. Even though Mr. Trump is no longer in office, Lieberman agreed that a trial should be held to hold Mr. Trump accountable.
“I think the House was right in impeaching President Trump and I think it is fair for the Senate to have a trial,” Lieberman said. He added that he supported the idea of passing a censorship resolution against Mr. Trump as a “bipartisan and unifying statement against his behavior.”
“I think a trial needs to take place, and if there aren’t enough sentencing votes at the end, I think there should be a bipartisan statement of censure from President Trump for his behavior in regards the election, ”Lieberman said.
To learn more about Major’s conversation with Lieberman, download the “The Takeout” podcast on Art19, iTunes, GooglePlay, Spotify, and Stitcher. New episodes are available every Friday morning. Additionally, you can watch “The Takeout” on CBSN Friday at 5 p.m., 9 p.m. and 12 p.m. ET and Saturday at 1 p.m., 9 p.m. and 12 p.m. ET. For a full archive of “The Takeout” episodes, visit www.takeoutpodcast.com. And you can listen to “The Takeout” on select CBS News Radio affiliates (check your local listings).
Producers: Arden Farhi, Jamie Benson, Sara Cook and Eleanor Watson
CBSN production: Eric Soussanin, Julia Boccagno and Grace Segers
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