Democrats wanted to do away with the Filibuster. The excuse for that was premised on advocating federal abortion legislation. Force everyone to allow in-womb executions long after viability, primarily the requirement that every state permit third trimester up to the birth abortion. Almost no one agrees with this or wants it except elected Democrats, but they couldn’t get it past the Senate with the filibuster in place.
No one on the Left seems to have considered that absent this staple of minority rights (minority by numbers, not skin color), Republicans could use that same federal power to do anything, including ban abortion. I don’t think they would, and Mr. Trump was clear that he sees it as a state’s rights issue and would veto any such attempt. But who does that? Is it not too much to risk? Not if you are so arrogant that you are incapable of believing you will ever be pushed out of power.
Surprise.
Democrats are diligently trying to steal the seat back in Pennsylvania and outright steal it in Arizona, but the GOP still has the next majority. Even with a 50-50 mix, JD Vance presides as the tiebreaker. Democrats can’t stop a unified Republican Majority from advancing whatever legislation they please, especially without that filibuster (the key being unified, and it won’t always fit the lock).
This reality begs the question: How convinced are Democrats that we still need to abandon it (the filibuster)? What was once deemed essential to securing Democracy has now become—if I had to guess—the biggest threat to it (following the progressive line of thought).
All things being equal, supporters of the change, before election day, ought to be just as committed to it now as then, lest we discover they are hypocrites and not operating in the people’s best interest. It is, after all, the People’s Senate. The people elected a Republican majority.
Explain what changed (Jeanne Shaheen, Maggie Hassan, or any other Democrat Senator).
