Beware a filibuster-free Senate: The changes they would bring could produce a very different country than the one we see today.

StarTribune ^ | 10-6-2020 | John R. Lott, Jr.

[VictimsRightsPro2a]

For months, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Senate Democrats have talked about eliminating the filibuster. With Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death, some Senators have said they must get rid of the filibuster so that they can pack the Supreme Court.

Even if not used to pack the Supreme Court, eliminating the filibuster would radically transform the Senate and our country.

[\/\/ayne]

Used to filibuster was for emergencies only - Democrats made it an everyday thing.

[Yo-Yo]

Remember how Democrats rammed through Obamacare at 7AM on Christmas Eve 2009 when they had a fillibuster-proof majority?

That would be every single Democrat proposal if they had the majority in the Senate with no fillibuster.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

For months, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Senate Democrats have talked about eliminating the filibuster.

Why has McConnell waited for Democrats to do it? The Democrats are obviously serious. If Republicans retain the Senate and Trump wins re-election, take the Democrats up on their threats - eliminate the filibuster and pack the SC with 6 new young, ultra-conservative justices, along with the inevitable replacements for Breyer and Thomas. Let the liberals live with an 11-4 conservative majority for the next 40 years.

[pas]

And so we no longer get yearly budget bills.

[Leaning Right]

> If Republicans retain the Senate and Trump wins re-election, take the Democrats up on their threats - eliminate the filibuster and pack the SC <

Eventually the D’s will be back in power. So I would instead prefer constitutional amendments that would protect the filibuster and set the number of SC justices at nine.

[SecondAmendment]

The Senate has way too much power, time to seriously look at repealing the 17th amendment again and/or a one term limit.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Eventually the D’s will be back in power. So I would instead prefer constitutional amendments that would protect the filibuster and set the number of SC justices at nine.

Yes, they will and they will pack the court - they've told us they intend to. I'd prefer a constitutional amendment limiting the SC to nine members too - but given how difficult it is to amend the Constitution and given that too many states are in Democrat hands, conservatives need to play the game before they get played.

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

Yo-Yo :" Remember how Democrats rammed through Obamacare at 7AM on Christmas Eve 2009 when they had a fillibuster-proof majority?
That would be every single Democrat proposal if they had the majority in the Senate with no fillibuster."

Exactly true !
The fillibuster protects minority rights, by allowing input and discussion,
and the Dems have already demonstrated that they ignore minority rights.
Who was it that said :" You have to pass it,..in order to find out what's in it " ? Case in point !
The same thing happened in New York State with ramming of the SAFE Act of 2013, where the bill was hidden by the Governor;
it wasn't even read by the Dems or Repubs politicians until the minority in the House held it up by fillibuster.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

Why has McConnell waited for Democrats to do it?

My guess is that he never had the votes within the caucus to get rid of it.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

It may also be the case that Schumer won’t have the voters either, even if they’re in the majority. Manchin may not vote for it, and some old-timers like Feinstein might not either.

[D Rider]

One on my favorite lines from the movie Open Range, " Most time, a man will tell you his bad intentions if you listen, let yourself hear."

DemonRats have been telling us for decades but we wouldn't hear.

[Secret Agent Man]

they rammed it through past midnight

and yes i remember, i was up watching

[Yo-Yo]

Forgive me if I’m mistaken, but I think it was the House that rammed it through in the middle of the night. The Senate passed it on Christmas Eve.

[itsahoot]

B$. It is only a problem if the Dems win the Senate and the White House and if that happens it won't matter we are done anyway.

Time the majority party is held responsible to carry out the wishes of those who elected them.

[Secret Agent Man]

yeah that could be what i am remembering...

:)

[Svartalfiar]

There’s a very simple method for fixing the filibuster. Just do it. If no one wants to get up and start talking, then start the vote. Quit doing all this bullshit about killing bills just because they don’t have a filibuster-proof majority.

Make the final call for comments, and when no one gets up to filibuster, then close discussion and open the vote.