Seniors

The filibuster is a Senate Rule. It is not in the Constitution or Legislation. It was put in place in the early years of the Republic at the behest of the slavocracy to safeguard slavery. If the Democrats manage to gain a Senate majority, what would prevent them from doing away with the thing? Harry Reid, when Senate Majority Leader could have done it but waffled. It is profoundly anti-majoritarian, and was frequently used during the Civil Rights era and the Obama Administration to block civil rights and later Obama's agenda. Because of Republican abuse, what was once rarely used is now commonplace, and it requires a 60 vote supermajority majority to pass legislation that liberals or even moderate Democrats favor. All depends on Georgia, of course, but I believe Schumer has the stones to do this.