Flunk the Filibuster
How the Filibuster Keeps Us From True Progress
The filibuster is not enshrined in the Constitution. It is a procedural loophole (sort of like that infamous "except as punishment for a crime" loophole...) that allows a handful of Senators to increase their own power and block legislation Americans support, from civil rights in the ‘60s to measures ensuring we all can get the care we need today.
According to the Brennan Center for Justice: "Traditionally, the Senate filibuster was reserved for only the most controversial issues, but its use has escalated in recent years, often slowing business in the chamber to a halt. Some lawmakers acknowledge that the filibuster, which has effectively set a 60-vote supermajority requirement for passing legislation in the Senate, could doom many of the proposals they have championed, including meaningful reforms on issues ranging from health care to climate change to gun control. Behind this dysfunction, the filibuster also has a troubling legacy: it has often been used to block civil rights legislation intended to combat racial discrimination." (Emphasis SURJ SD's)
Photo by Unseen Histories
“The filibuster is a racist remnant of a Senate designed to entrench white minority rule at the expense of the multiracial majority.”
- Demos Senior Policy Analyst Laura Williamson (source)
“Black and Brown Americans in particular have born the brunt of the filibuster, historically and today. From blocking anti-lynching and anti-poll tax legislation during Jim Crow to thwarting today’s efforts at gun violence prevention, raising the minimum wage, and passing structural democracy reform, the filibuster remains a linchpin of the minority obstructionism that is blocking progress on racial justice and every other pressing issue of our time."
Take Action
The filibuster is complicated but it's important to understand the tangible ways it stands between Americans and the passage of progressive legislation. For more information, read the letter calling for the end of the filibuster that was signed by more than 90 members of the US House of Representatives or this piece from Brookings on the history of the filibuster and possible changes to it that could allow our Democrat-led government to function more effectively.
Our elected leaders should govern in our interests. By eliminating the filibuster, we can pass laws like the For the People Act and and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. These are laws the majority of Americans favor which could—for the first time in history—start us on the long road toward making this country a place where we can all thrive.