Days after Vice President Kamala Harris’ fourth campaign visit to Wisconsin, she told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” that she supports ending the filibuster to restore Roe v. Wade to protect abortion rights nationally.
In its current form, anyway. I don’t really have a problem with it if it’s employed in its original intended method, i.e. the senator in question actually has to keep talking and cannot yield the floor for the entirety of the amount of time he wants to block something. And preferably, we put him in TV in real-time while he’s doing it. Under very bright lights.
The way it works now where anyone can just say, “We declare filibuster” serves no purpose other than to allow whoever is in the minority (but let’s not kid ourselves, usually Republicans) to infinitely block anything forever without consequences, which is prima facie undemocratic.
Is there really any logical reason why one voter should be allowed to block the entire process like that? The whole filibuster concept is the strangest part of US politics to me.
In its current form, anyway. I don’t really have a problem with it if it’s employed in its original intended method, i.e. the senator in question actually has to keep talking and cannot yield the floor for the entirety of the amount of time he wants to block something. And preferably, we put him in TV in real-time while he’s doing it. Under very bright lights.
The way it works now where anyone can just say, “We declare filibuster” serves no purpose other than to allow whoever is in the minority (but let’s not kid ourselves, usually Republicans) to infinitely block anything forever without consequences, which is prima facie undemocratic.
We already have two houses and the presidential veto handy to kill legislation. We don’t need another obstruction tool.
Is there really any logical reason why one voter should be allowed to block the entire process like that? The whole filibuster concept is the strangest part of US politics to me.
Functionally, there really isn’t. The only reason it still exists at all is because “tradition.”
I could see how it would be an affordable way to attention to a problematic bill (if it was still done as @dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world stated).