In his first few months as Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell has given us a preview of how Republicans will behave for the next four years. They will use every tool at their disposal, like the filibuster, to cling to power and stop progress. They used it to block civil rights legislation in the ’60s. They used it to block background checks for gun sales in 2013. And they’ll use it to block EVERYTHING Democrats want to do in 2021.
Republicans have changed the rules to entrench their power, and we need to fight fire with fire. The only reason Mitch McConnell hasn’t already gotten rid of the filibuster is because he hasn’t needed to. He has changed the rules in order to pack federal courts with judges who will overturn Roe v. Wade, declare the ACA unconstitutional and go after our civil rights, at a minimum.
Democrats won the majority, and they should act like it. They promised Americans bold relief and they shouldn’t let Republicans use procedural hurdles like the filibuster to block their agenda. The best chance of keeping Republicans from permanently controlling the levers of power is by passing big, bold democracy reforms—and the only way we do that is by eliminating the filibuster. Mitch McConnell is too eager to use it.
Alissa Friedman, Marin County
