01-26-2021, 07:34 PM
Manchin and Sinema (and I think Tester probably heavily leans that way,too) have said that they are firmly against eliminating the filibuster, but I don't think they are nearly as firmly against modifying it.
I thought I saw a thread or posting here about different ways the filibuster could be "reformed" without eliminating it, but I can't find it. Here is a Vox article that discusses some modifications that Manchin might go along with:
https://www.vox.com/22238630/filibuster-...chin-ideas
I suspect that Schumer threatened McConnell with getting a majority (with Harris breaking the tie) to modify filibuster rules just to make it so that the Senate organizing rules could be passed with a majority rather than the 60 vote margin required now. McConnell was able to do his shenanigans because the present rules call for a 60 vote margin to pass new organizing rules for the Senate and because the Democrats couldn't get those votes, the Senate continued to operate under the organizing rules the Republicans passed in the prior Senate. I think Schumer was able to get all 50 Democratic senators - including Manchin - to go along with such a limited change to the filibuster if McConnell didn't cave. So he did. (I'm guessing.)
I thought I saw a thread or posting here about different ways the filibuster could be "reformed" without eliminating it, but I can't find it. Here is a Vox article that discusses some modifications that Manchin might go along with:
https://www.vox.com/22238630/filibuster-...chin-ideas
I suspect that Schumer threatened McConnell with getting a majority (with Harris breaking the tie) to modify filibuster rules just to make it so that the Senate organizing rules could be passed with a majority rather than the 60 vote margin required now. McConnell was able to do his shenanigans because the present rules call for a 60 vote margin to pass new organizing rules for the Senate and because the Democrats couldn't get those votes, the Senate continued to operate under the organizing rules the Republicans passed in the prior Senate. I think Schumer was able to get all 50 Democratic senators - including Manchin - to go along with such a limited change to the filibuster if McConnell didn't cave. So he did. (I'm guessing.)