A senate operating in the “nuclear winter,” minority leader Mitch McConnell promises that if the filibuster is eliminated, lawmakers will face incessant roll call and other inconveniences that will turn their comfortable lives into hell.
Why it matters: Using apocalyptic language to warn of a “scorched earth” response, the Kentucky Republican is trying to drive Democrats away from the tool they are considering to break the GOP’s own political stubbornness.
Some of the tools McConnell has:
- Demanding roll-call votes on procedural points of order, forcing Democratic Senators and Vice President Kamala Harris – the binding 51st vote – to remain on standby at the Capitol.
- Unnecessary quorum calls, the interruption of Senate affairs while the secretary casts a roll call to ensure that all 100 senators are on the floor. It only takes one member to call for it.
- Spinning Republicans on the floor for hours-long debates about movements and bills – reminiscent of the technique exemplified in the movie ‘Mr. Smith goes to Washington. “
- Senate secretaries are asking for long bills and amendments to be read, similar to what Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) Did for a vote on President Biden’s coronavirus relief package – which lasted more than 10 hours.
- Senate GOP aides say they can introduce 2,000-page replacement amendments to make the process particularly tedious.
Senate officials say McConnell would be very strategic about how he and other Republicans play with the rules, and claim he doesn’t bluff.
- They refer to a Wall Street Journal opinion piece by columnist Kim Strassel, which says it was “perfect” in the details of the pain McConnell could inflict if Democrats go down this path.
Strassel wrote:
- The Senate meets. Quorum call. The presiding officer asks for permission not to read yesterday’s diary. Republicans object. Roll-call vote. The officer is asking for permission to speed up the “morning business.” Republicans object. “
- “Democrats are taking action to discuss an issue. Point of order. Roll-call vote. Quorum call. Republicans object to motion. Roll-call vote. A speech. Quorum call. Etc, etc., for suspension.”
The other side: Democrats insist they’ve heard it before, and their supporters are fed up with McConnell’s rhetoric – especially after he changed the filibuster rule to allow President Trump to occupy three Supreme Court seats.
- Senate leader Chuck Schumer (DN.Y.), speaking last week on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” dismissed McConnell’s speech as a “stormy threat.”
- ‘We will not be deterred. We move forward because we know that the American people demand, need, and want bold change. And we are going to do it. Mitch McConnell can do whatever threatening and roaring he wants. It won’t stop us, ”said Schumer.
Democratic assistants to the Senate also characterized this tactic as useless acts that would eventually slow down the inevitable.
- Regardless of the tough mechanisms the GOP could implement, they say, if Democrats eliminated the filibuster, they will be able to control much more of their agendas.
- They would also be very painful for the Republicans, who would have to spend a lot more time in the Capitol than they do now, if they prefer to be back in their districts.
- “Ultimately, this would be obstruction, rather than obstruction,” said a senior Democratic assistant.
The background: Democrats are still a long way from reforming the filibuster, let alone eliminating it, and are unlikely to get the vote in the current Senate, given two moderates who have pledged to keep it.
- But McConnell has said he is also willing to use these tools if Democrats find other ways – such as using the budget reconciliation process – to keep the GOP out of important decisions.