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President Biden is backing changes to the Senate filibuster rule that would fundamentally change the way the legislative body operates.
Biden wants the filibuster to return to the way it was used when he became a Senator.
During an interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABC News, Biden said he supports a change that would require a Senator to verbally speak on the Senate floor as the mechanism to delay a final vote on legislation.
“You had to stand up and command the floor, you had to keep talking,” Biden said.
EXCLUSIVE: @GStephanopoulos: "You're for bringing back the talking filibuster?"
Pres. Biden: "I am. That's what it was supposed to be…Democracy's having a hard time functioning." https://t.co/DeGk3soQJ4 pic.twitter.com/mS63KN3pYt
— ABC News (@ABC) March 17, 2021
The filibuster as it is used today requires 60 Senators to support a final vote on a piece of legislation.
It’s essentially a way to ensure that almost two-thirds of the Senators agree on legislation.
Newsmax White House correspondent Logan Ratick explained the current state of play regarding the filibuster.
Majority of the Senate Democrats want to eliminate the filibuster but Mitch McConnell disagrees. @Logan_Ratick shares more. https://t.co/VlT7z8drtO pic.twitter.com/s2tHsVvhRl
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) March 17, 2021
Top Republican in the Senate Mitch McConnell criticized any changes to the filibuster.
Breaking Senate rules to kill the filibuster would not open up an express lane to liberal change. It would not open up an express lane for the Biden presidency to speed into the history books. The Senate would function more like a hundred-car pile-up. Nothing moving.
— Leader McConnell (@LeaderMcConnell) March 16, 2021
Biden supported the change based on his view that the filibuster is making it difficult for democracy to work in the U.S.
It’s clear Democrats feel the filibuster is the Senate rule standing in the way of them pushing through their radical legislative agenda.
Without the filibuster, Democrats can pass laws with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the 50-50 political split in the Senate.
Legislation such as HR 1 would change voting laws in the U.S. and could pass, which would give Democrats a huge advantage in future elections.
Now in power, Democrats will do anything to keep it including changing the rules to essentially guarantee their control of the federal government for decades to come.
