Democrats flip flop on filibuster depending on who is in the majority

[hislegacy]

Democrats on the Filibuster: Then and Now

In April 2017, 61 senators from both parties wrote a letter to then-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) and then-Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D., N.Y.) asking them “to join us in opposing any effort to curtail the existing rights and prerogatives of Senators to engage in full, robust, and extended debate as we consider legislation before this body in the future.”

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.)

THEN (February, 2017): “When you look at the past, when Democrats were in charge, we were concerned, well, what if Republicans are in charge, let’s keep that 60-vote threshold in place,” Klobuchar explained. “And it has been a long-standing precedent both the President’s nominee, Obama’s nominees, got over 60 votes. And that is the threshold.”

NOW (March, 2021): tells Mother Jones that she “would get rid of the filibuster” for Democrat election-bill H.R. 1 and has “favored filibuster reform for a long time.”


Senator Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.)

THEN (March 18, 2021): reveals to National Review that she had not even “gone that far in my thinking” in weighing how the actions of Senate Republicans could change her mind. “I just know that votes aren’t there to do it,” she said.

NOW: (March 19, 2021): reverses her position one day later, saying in a statement that if “Republicans continue to abuse the filibuster by requiring cloture votes, I’m open to changing the way the Senate filibuster rules are used.”

Senator Mazie Hirono (D., Hawaii)

THEN (October, 2020): acknowledges her signing of the 2017 letter, explaining that “the filibuster is supposed to protect the voices of the minorities.”

“We’re in the minority. I don’t think our voices are being protected, so I’m open to that discussion, but it won’t happen unless the Democrats take back the Senate,” she said in a press conference.

NOW (March, 2021): now that Democrats have a razor-thin majority, thanks to Kamala Harris’s tie-breaking vote, Hirono is ready for a conversation about changing the filibuster.
​

Tom Cotton READS NAMES of Democrats Who Used to Support Filibuster on Senate Floor

Democrats urging to preserve filibuster

​

 

[.Mikha'el.]

So have Republicans

 

[Sketcher]

So have Republicans

Some Democrats, including President Biden, have been seriously talking about ending or "reforming" the filibuster for the last year. I don't recall serious talk among Republicans to end the filibuster. If it happened, when did it happen?

 

[HARK!]

That government which is best, governs least.

Let's look at the pros and cons:

If progress means to move forward; what does congress mean?

Let them filibuster!

Every time these guys reach consensus; it reminds me of two wolves and a sheep sitting down to decide what's for dinner.

 

[disciple Clint]

Democrats on the Filibuster: Then and Now

In April 2017, 61 senators from both parties wrote a letter to then-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) and then-Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D., N.Y.) asking them “to join us in opposing any effort to curtail the existing rights and prerogatives of Senators to engage in full, robust, and extended debate as we consider legislation before this body in the future.”

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.)

THEN (February, 2017): “When you look at the past, when Democrats were in charge, we were concerned, well, what if Republicans are in charge, let’s keep that 60-vote threshold in place,” Klobuchar explained. “And it has been a long-standing precedent both the President’s nominee, Obama’s nominees, got over 60 votes. And that is the threshold.”

NOW (March, 2021): tells Mother Jones that she “would get rid of the filibuster” for Democrat election-bill H.R. 1 and has “favored filibuster reform for a long time.”


Senator Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.)

THEN (March 18, 2021): reveals to National Review that she had not even “gone that far in my thinking” in weighing how the actions of Senate Republicans could change her mind. “I just know that votes aren’t there to do it,” she said.

NOW: (March 19, 2021): reverses her position one day later, saying in a statement that if “Republicans continue to abuse the filibuster by requiring cloture votes, I’m open to changing the way the Senate filibuster rules are used.”

Senator Mazie Hirono (D., Hawaii)

THEN (October, 2020): acknowledges her signing of the 2017 letter, explaining that “the filibuster is supposed to protect the voices of the minorities.”

“We’re in the minority. I don’t think our voices are being protected, so I’m open to that discussion, but it won’t happen unless the Democrats take back the Senate,” she said in a press conference.

NOW (March, 2021): now that Democrats have a razor-thin majority, thanks to Kamala Harris’s tie-breaking vote, Hirono is ready for a conversation about changing the filibuster.
​

Tom Cotton READS NAMES of Democrats Who Used to Support Filibuster on Senate Floor

Democrats urging to preserve filibuster

​

Are you saying that there is a double standard? Who would have thought?

 

[partinobodycular]

Democrats on the Filibuster: Then and Now

In April 2017, 61 senators from both parties wrote a letter to then-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) and then-Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D., N.Y.) asking them “to join us in opposing any effort to curtail the existing rights and prerogatives of Senators to engage in full, robust, and extended debate as we consider legislation before this body in the future.”

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.)

THEN (February, 2017): “When you look at the past, when Democrats were in charge, we were concerned, well, what if Republicans are in charge, let’s keep that 60-vote threshold in place,” Klobuchar explained. “And it has been a long-standing precedent both the President’s nominee, Obama’s nominees, got over 60 votes. And that is the threshold.”

NOW (March, 2021): tells Mother Jones that she “would get rid of the filibuster” for Democrat election-bill H.R. 1 and has “favored filibuster reform for a long time.”


Senator Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.)

THEN (March 18, 2021): reveals to National Review that she had not even “gone that far in my thinking” in weighing how the actions of Senate Republicans could change her mind. “I just know that votes aren’t there to do it,” she said.

NOW: (March 19, 2021): reverses her position one day later, saying in a statement that if “Republicans continue to abuse the filibuster by requiring cloture votes, I’m open to changing the way the Senate filibuster rules are used.”

Senator Mazie Hirono (D., Hawaii)

THEN (October, 2020): acknowledges her signing of the 2017 letter, explaining that “the filibuster is supposed to protect the voices of the minorities.”

“We’re in the minority. I don’t think our voices are being protected, so I’m open to that discussion, but it won’t happen unless the Democrats take back the Senate,” she said in a press conference.

NOW (March, 2021): now that Democrats have a razor-thin majority, thanks to Kamala Harris’s tie-breaking vote, Hirono is ready for a conversation about changing the filibuster.
​

Tom Cotton READS NAMES of Democrats Who Used to Support Filibuster on Senate Floor

Democrats urging to preserve filibuster

​

I think you're naive if you're trying to assign a moral or ethical superiority to either party.