Why nuke the filibuster now?

[Rustynaerduwell]

Because the Republicans will do it as soon as they can. That's why. Do we need another reason?

[Mad_Machine76]

1. That's not an absolute certainty

They didn't do it under Trump, even though he was reportedly pressuring them to. Despite what we might think, they don't know that they'll be in power forever either. The filibuster, at least on most bills anyway, seems to be the equivalent of MAD.

[lagomorph777]

7. They didn't need to. It cost them nothing.

The second it's a pothole on the road to Fascism, out it will go.

[Calista241]

10. Yeah it did. It absolutely fucking stopped a whole bunch of nonsense.

It's the reason Trump was bitching on twitter about McConnell not eliminating the filibuster. There a shitload of Republican priorities that never made it to the floor of the Senate because of the filibuster.

The filibuster stopped:

1. the wall.
2. a flat tax
3. elimination of the IRS
4. elimination of the EPA
5. outlawed abortion

There's a reason a shitload of Dems signed a letter to McConnell in 2017 all but begging him to retain the legislative filibuster. The filibuster saved our country from Trump, and he's going to run again.

[FBaggins]

2. Is there are reason to debate "why" to do something...

... when we don't have the votes to do it even if we want to?

[gab13by13]

3. I guarantee it,

if the GQP gains control of the Senate the filibuster will be gone, absolutely zero doubt. They will have minority rule for generations.

[brush]

5. Don't you mean majority rule? The filibuster allows minority rule.

[dsc]

4. I don't think the GOP would

but that doesn't mean I think we shouldn't. The filibuster is way better for them than it is for us. They want to do 3 things when they have government control. 1) cut taxes no filibuster 2) appoint right wing judges and regulators no filibuster and 3) increase defense spending I have literally never seen a defense bill defeated by a filibuster. So the filibuster doesn't make them unable to govern. It does make us unable to be governed.

[brush]

6. Agreed. And it's a vestige of slavery created to help slaveholding states.

IMO the Senate should be majority rule like the House and EVERY OTHER LEGISLATIVE BODY in the United States.

If Democrats enact policies which help the 99 percent we will be rewarded with majorities in Congress. I say ditch the filibuster.

[Caliman73]

11. Correct. It is promoted as protecting the rights of the minority party...

The reality is that it is a tool to allow the minority party to interfere with the processes desired by the majority party.

It has primarily been used to block Civil Rights legislation, more equitable distribution of the fruits of society, and reforms to the Democratic process. All of these things do help a minority, a minority of extremely wealth individuals who prefer to keep the majority of the assets and power in our society.

First, it was slaves, then it was the right to continue to oppress women and historically oppressed minority groups, and now it is the ability to actually have the will of the majority of the population expressed through fair elections.

[themaguffin]

8. The GOP doesn't need it for judges or taxes. They don't do policy, so they're good with it.

[aocommunalpunch]

9. Why do they need to get rid of the filibuster?

It serves them just fine the way it is.