Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) single-handedly raised the stakes of the 2024 elections on Tuesday, revealing he’d consider carving out rare exceptions to allow votes on protecting voting and abortion rights.
Schumer’s plan would move the Senate closer to getting rid of the filibuster, a longtime rule that requires 60 votes instead of a simple 50 vote majority to advance legislation.
You don’t have to get rid of the filibuster. You only have to get rid of the procedural filibuster. Make 'em stand and talk.
Maybe keeping people in office till they’re 80 and 90+ would be less appealing if they had to stay in session for a real physical filibuster?
Strom Thurmond was already 53 when he did his 24-hour filibuster of the Civil Rights Act of 1957. I’m convinced he still could’ve done it at 100 years old when he left office fueled by nothing but hate.
The majority already has the power to “make em stand and talk”. They generally choose not to in order to avoid wasting everyone’s time.