Washington, D.C. – If you can’t answer the question, answer a different one. If you’ve got a problem, blame someone else.
That appears to be the modus operandi of vulnerable Senate Democrats who have recently been ducking calls to abolish the filibuster, and others who have opposed the push from the far left to abolish the filibuster but would prefer for Americans to forget. Meanwhile, liberals and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer lay blame at the feet of Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) and are getting fed up with his position on the filibuster and S1, aka the “Corrupt Politicians Act.”
Unfortunately, Democrats can’t run from their past words. In fact, here are seven Democrat Senators, not named Joe Manchin, who have previously opposed getting rid of the filibuster:
- Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.): “I think the filibuster serves a purpose. It is not often used, it’s often less used now than when I first came, and I think it’s part of the Senate that differentiates itself.” (September)
- Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.): “Bipartisanship is really important to me. I think it’s important to Arizonans, too. We just want to make the place work.” (January)
- Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.): “What I hear over and over again from senators is not the question of the filibuster but: Why don’t we have votes on anything? I’d like to vote things up or vote them down.” (November 2019)
- Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.): “The filibuster is not in the Constitution nor the original Senate rules, but we have a bicameral system for a reason and this legislative tool serves a critical purpose in ensuring the functioning of our democratic republic…” (2017)
- Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.): “I think we should keep the filibuster. It’s one of the few things that we have left in order to let all of the voices be heard here in the Senate.” (November 2019)
- Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.): “… I support the 60-vote threshold for all Senate actions. Debate on bills should be a bipartisan process that takes into account the views of all Americans, not just those of one political party.” (February)
- Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.): “I said during my rehiring process last year, I said it would take an awful, awful lot for me to end the filibuster… I think we ought to keep the rules.” (January)
Additionally, even more Democrat Senators have signaled they were only open to reform, such as a return to the talking filibuster:
- Sen. Michael F. Bennet (D-Colo.): “If people continue for their own political reasons to make it impossible for the majority to exercise its will, filibuster reform may have to be on the table.” (September)
- Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.): “You have to understand that a lot of these that are talked about: If we do it when we have the control to do it, they can do it again. What we need to find is real solutions that are sustainable regardless of who is president…” (March 2019)
- Sen. Christopher A. Coons (D-Del.): “I don’t think the first, second or third thing we do is have some debate about rules changes…” (January)
- Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.): “McConnell is determined to exploit the filibuster and fight progress on the most urgent crises facing our nation and if he wants to block action on health care, climate change, and voting rights, he should have to stand on the Senate floor and be transparent about his obstruction.” (This week)
- Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.): “I’m willing to work and compromise with my Republican colleagues. But at the end of the day, if they’re going to be obstructionist and not allow us to get those priorities that I listed out the door to help the American people, then everything is on the table as far as I’m concerned.” (February)
- Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.): “Unfortunately, we’ve reached that point. And if enough members in the Senate agree, we’ll change the rules.” (This month)
- Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.): “I want to give the traditional system a good chance to succeed… There’s a lot of possibilities of adjusting the filibuster. There are a number of people that are talking about evolving back into what we used to be, which is a ‘talking filibuster.’” (April)
- Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii): “There was a time when I did not support a filibuster change because the filibuster is supposed to protect the voices of the minorities. We’re in the minority. I don’t think our voices are being protected, so I’m open to that discussion…” (October)
- Sen. Angus S. King (I-Maine): “Right now, we don’t know whether it will be abused. If they’re going to use it to obstruct absolutely everything, then I’m prepared to change my mind.” (January)
- Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.): Indicated openness in an interview. (September 2019)
- Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.): Indicated openness in an interview. (August)
- Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.): “There are really important things like voting rights that can’t be done through reconciliation.” (Last week)
- Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.): “I think the filibuster’s very important, and I think it makes for better legislation, and I still believe that. I still support the filibuster, but, like I said, we’ll see what happens with the other side. Who knows what’s going to happen?” (September)
Statement from NRSC Spokesman T.W. Arrighi: “The media is fixated on Joe Manchin’s opposition to the filibuster, but the truth is, he is far from alone. Numerous Democrat Senators oppose abolishing the filibuster, and more still only support changes to the filibuster. It’s curious why these other Democrats, many of whom have competitive races in 2022, have not been more heavily scrutinized or questioned. The American people ought to know exactly where their Senators stand on scuttling Senate rules to pass a radical liberal agenda, and simply throwing Joe Manchin under the bus is not adequate.”
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