Elizabeth Warren: Filibuster ‘has deep roots in racism’

March 19, 2021 3oliver

Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenCambridge city officials pass resolution calling on Biden to cancel student loan debt Progressives celebrate historic Haaland vote Congress investigating ‘clean coal’ tax credit MORE (D-Mass.) on Thursday called the filibuster racist as progressive calls to eliminate the Senate procedural move grow.

“The filibuster … was designed to give the South the ability to veto any effective civil rights legislation or anti-lynching legislation,” Warren told Axios.

“The filibuster has deep roots in racism, and it should not be permitted to serve that function, or to create a veto for the minority. In a democracy, it’s majority rules,” she added.

Rep. Hank JohnsonHenry (Hank) C. JohnsonOvernight Defense: Pentagon chief to press for Manchin’s support on Colin Kahl | House Dems seek to limit transfer of military-grade gear to police House Democrats introducing bill to limit transfer of military-grade gear to police NAACP, Rep. Bennie Thompson sue Trump, Giuliani over Capitol riot MORE (D-Ga.) echoed these sentiments, telling Axios, “It’s important that we not continue to allow the filibuster to be a tool used to suppress the right to vote, that black people have fought and died for.”

The idea of the filibuster as racist dates back to the pre-Civil War era, when the legislative tactic was used to block the admission of states based on their slavery status, political scientist and University of Miami congressional specialist Gregory Koger told Politifact.

Later on, during the Reconstruction and post-Reconstruction eras, senators used filibusters against civil rights bills, the deployment of federal troops in southern states, and the repayment of income taxes from the Civil War, Kroger added.

These comments come amid tense debate regarding the future of the filibuster. Several Democrats are keen on eliminating the 60-vote requirement to advance legislation, while Republicans are staunchly opposed.

Senate Democrats, however, do not yet have enough votes to reform the rules in the 50-50 chamber.

Liberals fear that without filibuster reform, several of the Biden administration’s top priorities — including legislation on voting rights, climate change and gun reform — are DOA in the upper chamber.

“The filibuster is still making a mockery of American democracy. The filibuster is still being misused by some senators to block legislation urgently needed and supported by a strong majority of the American people,” Sen. Dick DurbinDick DurbinBorder surge scrambles Senate immigration debate Filibuster fight looms as Biden leans in Exclusive: GOP officials offer support for Vanita Gupta MORE (D-Ill.) said on Monday.

Republicans are accusing Democrats of hypocrisy for discussing changes to the filibuster when they used it to block GOP proposals during the previous Congress.

“Senator Warren filibuster[ed] multiple bills last year,” a top aide for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellThe Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Forget about comity in Congress Exclusive: GOP officials offer support for Vanita Gupta Kentucky legislature limits governor’s Senate appointment power MORE (R-Ky.) wrote on Twitter in response to Warren’s comments.

On Tuesday, McConnell did not mince words when warning against removing the filibuster, saying, “Let me say this very clearly for all 99 of my colleagues: Nobody serving in this chamber can even begin, can even begin, to imagine what a completely scorched-earth Senate would look like.”

President BidenJoe BidenThe Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Forget about comity in Congress Border surge scrambles Senate immigration debate GOP looks to measures barring trans athletes to rally voters MORE leaned into the filibuster debate on Tuesday, endorsing a change to the Senate rules that would bring back the talking filibuster.

“You had to stand up and command the floor and you had to keep talking along,” Biden said during an interview with ABC News anchor George StephanopoulosGeorge Robert StephanopoulosOvernight Defense: Biden casts doubt on Afghanistan withdrawal by May | US-China tensions high ahead of first meeting of Biden administration | Minorities underrepresented in military academy nominations On The Money: IRS plans to extend tax filing deadline to mid-May | Powell voices cautious optimism | Treasury has sent out 90 million stimulus payments The Hill’s 12:30 Report — Presented by Facebook — Biden’s sit-down interview with George Stephanopoulos MORE. “Once you stopped talking, you lost that and someone could move in and say, I move to the question of.”

“You’ve got to work for the filibuster. It is almost getting to the point where democracy is having a hard time functioning,” he added.