Democratic senator Tina Smith: 'I'd vote to get rid of the filibuster hook, line and sinker'

[Omaha Steve]

Source: The Guardian

Daniel Strauss in Washington

Minnesota lawmaker says filibuster is doing ‘damage’ to democracy – and believes it’s high time for reform

It’s rare a federal lawmaker makes a complete about-face on an issue with major legislative consequences.

But for Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota, the need to shift her position on one of the most crucial issues facing the Biden administration – reform of the filibuster rule – has become too strong to ignore.

She now believes that without reform, the filibuster – a rule by which the minority party in the Senate can block legislation – will do serious “damage” to American democracy, she told the Guardian.

Smith’s move is crucial. Behind the loud voices of the Senate Democratic caucus calling to either dramatically scale back or gut entirely a tool used to obstruct legislation, there’s a usually quieter set of senators, like Smith, who are finally speaking out. They’ve had enough, these senators say, and want to see a substantial change to the filibuster – either workarounds for certain legislative proposals like voting rights, or modifications so the threat of a filibuster doesn’t bring Congress to a standstill.



Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/apr/01/democratic-senator-tina-smith-filibuster-reform

[PatSeg]

1. K&R

[bucolic_frolic]

2. They seem to be going there

Modifications can improve the situation a lot, while still allowing the minority to be heard. Obstruction and legislative blockade is not what they're elected to do. Limited filibuster is an ok move. No minority or majority should block everything. There are issues to filibuster about, but total filibuster should be rare or nonexistent.