The Senate filibuster vote dooms much of Democrats’ agenda

VOX ^ | Jan 19, 2022 | By Li Zhou

[11th_VA]

A failed vote on filibuster reform guarantees little progress on voting rights — and many other policies.

The Senate on Wednesday voted 48-52 against changing the chamber’s filibuster rules, dooming much of Democrats’ agenda for the near term.

Democrats were ultimately split on the rules vote, with two opposing the change, and 48 in favor of it. Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) were the only Democrats who voted against the rules change, which would have made an exception to the 60-vote threshold many bills need to advance. No Republicans voted to support the reform.

Had it passed, the rules change would have enabled lawmakers to bring back a talking filibuster specifically for a voting rights bill that includes the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. This reform would have required senators to hold the floor and make speeches in order to maintain their opposition to the bill. It also would have allowed senators to pass the voting rights bill with a simple majority once debate on the measure had ended. For other legislation, filibuster rules would have stayed as is.

Because of Manchin and Sinema’s longstanding opposition to filibuster reforms, the outcome of the vote wasn’t surprising. It did reveal, however, just how much support filibuster reform has within the Democratic caucus, and highlighted a stark shift in the party’s position on the issue. As the vote indicated, opposition to filibuster reform is now limited to Manchin and Sinema, two of its most vocal critics...

[Turbo Pig]

Eliminating the filibuster helps conservatives. It makes eliminating the department of education and the federal reserve easier

Have you not been paying attention your entire adult life? Eliminating the department of education and the federal reserve or a whole slew of reforms that need to take place will never happen unless DC is vaporized in a fiery blast. The political will is not there, even from the self proclaimed "conservatives" roaming the halls of power. It never has been, and it never will be no matter what lip service has been paid to the idea.