Thursday, October 22, 2015

The filibuster is killing U.S. democracy


(My new American Thinker post)


For years, I was told that the filibuster was a wise idea to force compromise in the U.S. Senate. However, I don't buy that anymore. I agree with Peter Fenn:   
In the first 50 years of the filibuster, it was used only 35 times. But the last Congress alone had 112 cloture motions filed, plus threats of more.    This is the tyranny of the minority.   
It stinks, to say the least.


Yesterday, a majority of Senators failed to get the 60 votes to have the U.S. Senate debate and vote on sanctuary cities.   Add the Iran nuclear deal to the growing list of "votes" that the Senate doesn't do anymore because of the 60-vote rule.  




The net result is that Democrats do not have to vote "yes or no" on sanctuary cities, or something that most reasonable Americans are against.  They can hide behind something called "cloture" rather than explain their vote keeping sanctuary cities violating federal immigration law.




Sorry, but this is a profile in cowardice. It is legislators avoiding tough votes rather accepting their responsibility to take a position.




The official Democrat position was that this law against sanctuary cities was a misguided effort to crack down on immigrants and would not make the country safer.




Okay -- then make that case on the Senate floor. Tell your constituents that sanctuary cities are good for them. Go on record saying that you're okay with having cities select what federal laws they are going to enforce.




Once again, we sit back and watch this nonsense going on in Washington. Again, it's time to repeal the filibuster and force the U.S. Senate to vote rather than duck!



P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.



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