"For years, California's late Sen. Dianne Feinstein fought off calls by her fellow Democrats to get rid of the filibuster, a Senate rule used to great effect by Republicans to thwart Democrats' key legislation. A traditionalist who served in Congress in the days when the two parties often worked toward compromises, Feinstein knew that when Democrats were in the Senate minority, they would need that option, too."
"And now, Senate Democrats who had pushed vociferously for the filibuster's elimination just four years ago are using it to try to force a Republican compromise on President Donald Trump's Big Beautiful Bill that would cause health insurance costs for many Americans to skyrocket. And, surprise, surprise, several Republican senators, frustrated that the Democrats continue to hold up their legislation a month into a federal government shutdown, are now suggesting it's time for the filibuster to go."
"The filibuster is a Senate procedure that allows the minority party to block legislation from a final vote often by significantly prolonging debate unless the majority can muster a supermajority of 60 votes required to end debate. To prevent or end a filibuster, the majority party, in theory, would be motivated to negotiate an agreement or pull the bill. But times and temperament have changed."
Dianne Feinstein resisted calls to abolish the filibuster because it protected the Senate minority and enabled compromise when Democrats were out of power. After her death, Democrats have used the filibuster to try to force concessions on a Republican health care bill that could sharply raise insurance costs. Some Republican senators, frustrated by a prolonged government shutdown and blocked legislation, are now proposing elimination of the filibuster. President Trump publicly urged invoking the nuclear option. The filibuster requires 60 votes to end debate, and a 53-47 Senate split makes that threshold increasingly unattainable.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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