McConnell Relents in Filibuster Skirmish

[Polybius]

Source: Political Wire

“Senator Mitch McConnell on Monday dropped his demand that the new Democratic Senate majority promise to preserve the filibuster — which Republicans could use to obstruct President Biden’s agenda — ending an impasse that had prevented Democrats from assuming full power even after their election wins,” the New York Times reports.

“In his negotiations with Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the new majority leader, Mr. McConnell, Republican of Kentucky, had refused to agree to a plan for organizing the chamber without a pledge from Democrats to protect the filibuster, a condition that Mr. Schumer had rejected.”

“But late Monday, as the stalemate persisted, Mr. McConnell found a way out by pointing to statements by two centrist Democrats, Senators Joe Manchin III of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, that said they opposed getting rid of the procedural tool — a position they had held for months — as enough of a guarantee to move forward without a formal promise from Mr. Schumer.”

Read more: https://politicalwire.com/2021/01/25/mcconnell-relents-in-filibuster-skirmish/

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Short article, breaking...

[madaboutharry]

1. This episode was just more McConnell bullshit.

McConnell is a Drama Queen. He is no different than Trump, hanging on by his fingernails because he is addicted to power and attention.

He gave in because his charade was backfiring.

He is such an asshole.

[Gothmog]

2. Yeah for Leader Schumer

He did not back down

[Nitram]

3. The irony is that Republicans would have made the promise and then broken it.

I respect the fact that Democrats just said fuck you and didn't make a promise they couldn't keep! They won't use the nuclear option unless the GOP refuses to compromise on bills.

[uponit7771]

4. +1,

[onetexan]

5. Oh u can bet a dollar mitch will lie

[Raven123]

6. Time will tell who won on this issue. Rev up the judiciary committee. Let's get some judges

[Crazyleftie]

7. don't they still have to vote on removng the filibuster?

If so they don't have the votes....

[Turin_C3PO]

8. This allows us to proceed

with taking charge of committees and ending the impasse. Filibuster will still be in place. It’s a step forward definitely.

[BumRushDaShow]

12. They would have to vote on the Rule change, yes,

but don't have to do it right away and can do it at any time. So not getting hung up on that so early in the session as a barrier to taking control of the Committees, is a good thing (because "pork" ("earmarks" ) can be dangled to the objectors later)...

[Hotler]

9. A win, I'll take it. Still don't trust Mitch. nt.

[OldBaldy1701E]

10. Oh definitely

The fact that he gave in should be a cause for major concern. He must be up to something...

[bucolic_frolic]

11. So both sides got something, and something to point to

We really didn't have the votes, other than to organize committee chairmanships.

Mitch made it look like he got something, Chuch made it look like he won as Mitch caved, and the press got to announce it live during an interview with Schumer.

I'm not unhappy, it's tolerable and workable and non-obstructionist for the most part for now.

But taken as a whole, it doesn't seem like random events that just happened at 9:30 on a Monday evening.

[Calista241]

13. Apparently both Sinema and Manchin have both said they won't vote to remove the filibuster

Personally, i think people are playing with fire saying they want to get rid of it. We literally just used it for 4 years to stop nearly all of Trump's initiatives. The only thing he got passed by both houses was his tax reform act, and he had to use reconciliation to do it.