Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) wants to keep the filibuster, but he wants to make Republicans stand and talk, and make it hurt to filibuster legislation.
Manchin laid out his position on numerous Sunday show interviews.
On Fox News Sunday, Manchin said he supports the filibuster, but he wants to make it more difficult to invoke. Currently, it does not require the traditional continuous filibuster to block legislation.
Video of Manchin on Fox News Sunday:
Joe Manchin tells Chris Wallace that while he supports the filibuster, he thinks “it should be painful” if senators want to use it pic.twitter.com/7g3t6Vys32
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 7, 2021
Manchin said on Meet The Press:
FILIBUSTER: @Sen_JoeManchin on Meet the Press shows openness to requiring senators to talk on floor to maintain a filibuster “And now if you want to make it a little bit more painful, make him stand there and talk, I’m willing to look at any way we can”
— Erik Wasson (@elwasson) March 7, 2021
Sen. Manchin wants the Senate to function as the Founders intended. He wants more bipartisan legislation and less McConnell-style Senate blockades.
Manchin’s thoughts echo the plan for filibuster reform proposed by Norm Ornstein:
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The way to get moderates on board with filibuster reform is to keep the filibuster, but weaken it and make it more difficult for the minority to invoke. If Republicans had to stand up and talk their way through a filibuster, there would be less filibustering, and more legislation moving through the Senate.
The day of reckoning is coming for the filibuster. It might not be H.R. 1, The For The People Act, but it will be The John Lewis Voting Rights Act, which is support by every Democrat, and formerly a few Republicans in the Senate.
Mr. Easley is the founder/managing editor, who is White House Press Pool, and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
