Carl P. Leubsdorf
To many Americans, the rules that permit the Senateâs majority to be held hostage by its minority represent the worst of all worlds, making an inherently undemocratic legislative body even more so.
As a result, since the late 1940s, successive generations of liberal senators have regularly sought to revise the procedures for limiting extended Senate debate â known as a filibuster â that enable a minority of senators to keep the majority from acting.
The debate was renewed this year because the Senateâs slim Democratic majority â 50 senators plus Vice President Kamala Harris â fears that, without rules reform, the Republican minority will block many of its measures that polls show most Americans support â election reform, gun control, an increased minimum wage, higher taxes on the wealthy and revision of immigration laws.
New ad campaign targets Senator Sinema and her future vote on Biden infrastructure plan
Senator Sinema is the target of online ads from conservatives ahead of a vote on Biden s infrastructure plan.
and last updated 2021-04-16 21:46:34-04
Coalition to Protect American Workers says the $3 trillion infrastructure plan is too expensive, and only 15% of the money goes to roads, bridges, and airports.
âWe think you can be in favor of infrastructure spending but that does not necessitate that I support $3 trillion in taxes on the American people,â Coalition to Protect American Workers chairman Marc Short said.
The Coalition to Protect American Workers supports public-private partnerships.
It is time to end the forever war.
So said President Joe Biden in his announcement that, as of Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, all U.S. troops will be gone from Afghanistan.
The longest war in our history, which cost 2,400 dead, 20,000 wounded and $2 trillion, is ending but only for Americans, not Afghans.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured our NATO allies in Brussels that we are all leaving with our mission accomplished: Together we went into Afghanistan to deal with those who attacked us and to make sure that Afghanistan would not again become a haven for terrorists who might attack any of us.
It is time to end the forever war.
So said President Joe Biden in his announcement that, as of Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, all U.S. troops will be gone from Afghanistan.
The longest war in our history, which cost 2,400 dead, 20,000 wounded and $2 trillion, is ending but only for Americans, not Afghans.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured our NATO allies in Brussels that we are all leaving with our mission accomplished: Together we went into Afghanistan to deal with those who attacked us and to make sure that Afghanistan would not again become a haven for terrorists who might attack any of us.
History warns that changes to the Senate filibuster rules may prove counterproductive
The Senate’s real problems go far beyond the construction of its rules.
Rev. Jim Winkler, president and general secretary of the National Council of Churches, speaks outside National City Christian Church in Washington, April 5, 2021. A coalition of interfaith leaders and activists met in Washington and online to demand an end to the filibuster, calling it an arcane and racist tactic that blocks the passing of moral policies. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)(Susan Walsh)
To many Americans, the rules that permit the Senate’s majority to be held hostage by its minority represent the worst of all worlds, making an inherently undemocratic legislative body even more so.