They Killed the Jan. 6 Commission. Now We Need to Kill the Filibuster.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Friday should have been the stuff of bipartisan dreams. After 35 House Republicans ignored their boggy leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy and voted last week to set up a Jan. 6 commission to investigate the domestic terror attack on our Capitol, six Senate Republicans joined all 50 Democrats in voting for this legislation essential to our national security. A seventh, Pat Toomey, was not present due to a "family commitment," but said he would have supported the bill.

So when will this newly formed sedition commission finally begin its work, you ask? It won't, because Republicans filibustered it.

For months Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin has been arguing—and somewhere there must be a 21-letter-German word to describe this—for the necessity of preserving the legislative filibuster that requires 60 votes to move ahead with almost any bill, apparently convinced it's key to keeping the mythical spirit of bipartisanship in that chamber. Manchin said Friday that “choosing to put politics and political elections above the health of our Democracy is unconscionable” and a “betrayal of the oath we each take,” just not enough to stop it since he’s already said that he won’t "destroy our government” by ending the filibuster that allowed for that betrayal, which Democrats could do right now if he and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema would just support it.

Instead, the two holdout Democrats have argued for months that this legislative accident of history that appears nowhere in the text of the constitution is some kinda holy grail. Sure, its most prominent proponent in the 19th Century was John C. Calhoun, followed by Strom Thurmond in the 20th Century. But, hey, it’s not like they were in favor of anything bad.

-more-

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/they-killed-the-jan-6-commission-now-we-need-to-kill-the-filibuster/ar-AAKuT8M

[Pas-de-Calais]

1. From this post to God's ear

[Funtatlaguy]

2. Ask Manchin and Sinema: what it would take, then give it to them.

[Claire Oh Nette]

3. It's a once in 150 year incident.

Last edited Fri May 28, 2021, 10:37 PM - Edit history (1)

Insurrection and sedition should not have to meet a 60 vote filibuster threshold. Imagine, filibustering 9/11, or the Warren Commission.

Everyone who voted no needs to face a subpoena about their role. This makes Nixon and Watergate look like sparklers compared to professional pyrotechnic displays.

Pelosi will have no qualms about a House Select Committee, and Merrick Garland should bring the full justice department against all of them. They don't even have the decency to be ashamed.

[FirstLight]

7. + a Million!

agreed!!!!!

[MichMan]

4. Can those who voted against it be charged with treason themselves?

[Fiendish Thingy]

5. I agree, but I think it will take a filibuster of the infrastructure bill to get there

Schumer seems to be ready to go it alone after Memorial Day,so we may see some movement then as he pushes to use reconciliation.

Pelosi will create her HSC for January 6, Schumer will ram through infrastructure bill (or make crystal clear Republicans obstruction and put all the pressure on Manchin); hopefully, by the August recess, the agenda will be cleared to enable everyone to focus on voting rights/HR1.

[dalton99a]

6. Kill the filibuster, or live under Republican rule forever.

[lees1975]

8. Being moderate on the filibuster won't help Sinema or Manchin

This shouldn't be political. Neither Manchin nor Sinema are up for releection in 2022, and in Arizona, the Democrats have flipped the state in a Presidential election. The biggest county, Maricopa, flipped, which gave Biden a 12,000 vote win. The Latino turnout and the population growth coming from the West Coast keeps adding to Democratic vote totals so by the time she runs again, the margins will be larger.

Manchin is probably not going to win re-election to a third term in West Virginia. He won the seat and re-election based on his reputation for getting things done as governor, 61% when he was elected the first time, just 50% the last time, mainly by turning out a segment of voters that didn't really turn out in 2016 or 2020. Unless he can deliver on one of the issues of high concern to West Virginians, like rural health care, which he won't be able to do with the filibuster in place, he might as well decide he's going to establish his legacy and be associated with the protection of voting rights and a patriotic perspective against the trump insurrection.

https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2021/05/an-open-letter-to-senators-joe-manchin.html