Mark Kelly Wants To Kill The Filibuster So He Can Vote To Put Pelosi And Schumer In Charge Of Elections

Arizona Democrat Sen. Mark Kelly announced his support for eliminating the filibuster to enable Pelosi to take over elections.
Fauci’s PATHETIC Dodging: No Wonder So Many Want Him Fired | The News & Why It Matters | Ep 934

Fauci’s PATHETIC Dodging: No Wonder So Many Want Him Fired | The News & Why It Matters | Ep 934

Biden to push changing Senate filibuster rules to clear the way for sweeping elections overhaul



President Joe Biden is expected to endorse changing long-standing Senate filibuster rules in order to push through a sweeping federal overhaul of U.S. elections during a speech in Atlanta, Georgia, on Tuesday.

What are the details?

The president foreshadowed fundamentally altering the filibuster during a CNN town hall in October. But at the time he said he couldn't support the controversial move until his "Build Back Better" social spending agenda had passed, because doing so would have angered moderate Democrats and killed the legislation.

But now, with the economic item behind him, Biden is committed to advancing the elections bill by amending the legislative filibuster, a parliamentary rule dating back to the 1800s that requires 60 votes for most legislation to pass in the Senate.

According to a readout of the president's remarks viewed by the New York Times, Biden will voice support for a filibuster "carve-out" specifically to advance the Freedom to Vote Act, rather than a wholesale elimination of the rule.

To support his position, the president will reportedly cite "repeated obstruction" by Republicans and contend that the filibuster has protected "extreme attacks on the most basic constitutional right," an administration official said.

“The next few days, when these bills come to a vote, will mark a turning point in this nation,” Biden will say in the speech, the Times reported. “Will we choose democracy over autocracy, light over shadow, justice over injustice? I know where I stand.”

What else?

The Times characterized Biden's approach as the "most significant step he will have taken to pressure lawmakers to act" on the issue. But, aggressive as it is, it still may not be enough to woo his supporters, many of whom plan to skip the speech in protest of his administration's inability to get the legislation done.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a coalition of voting rights groups plans to boycott Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris' visit, slamming the Democratic ticket for offering nothing but "platitudes" and "bland promises" in return for their votes in the 2020 election.

“Georgia voters made history and made their voices heard, overcoming obstacles, threats, and suppressive laws to deliver the White House and the US Senate,” the groups said in a statement. “In return, a visit has been forced on them, requiring them to accept political platitudes and repetitious, bland promises. Such an empty gesture, without concrete action, without signs of real, tangible work, is unacceptable.”

Prominent progressive Georgian Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams will reportedly also miss the speech.

Anything else?

It should be noted that even with the president's backing, a filibuster amendment will have to be agreed to by moderate Democrats such as Sens. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.) to take effect, since Republicans appear united in opposition. And both Democratic senators have repeatedly declared opposition to the move.

Last week, when questioned about the possibility of a filibuster "carve-out," Manchin seemed to criticize the idea of creating a one-time exception to the rule.

"Any time there's a carve-out, you eat the whole turkey. There's nothing left," he said.

AWOL Texas Democrats divided after four members return home, infuriating the rest



The Texas Democrats who fled to Washington, D.C., are showing signs of division as some of their number returned to Austin, infuriating their colleagues.

At least four Democrats who returned to the statehouse on Monday were accused of undermining the rest of the conference by nearly granting the Republican majority a quorum to conduct business. If just five more lawmakers were present at the statehouse, Republicans would have been able to advance a controversial election security bill that Democrats sought to block by leaving the state.

"You all threw us under the bus today!" Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos (D) declared on social media. "Why?"

⁦@jamestalarico⁩ ⁦@RepMaryGonzalez⁩ ⁦@moodyforelpaso⁩ you all threw us under the bus today! Why? https://t.co/yD6ODZKFcP

— Representative Ana-Maria Ramos (@Ramos4Texas) 1628546901.0

The four Democrats who returned to Texas are Reps. Joe Moody, James Talarico, Mary González, and Art Fierro. Moody is one of the Democratic leaders and the former speaker pro tem, a title that House Speaker Dade Phelan (R) had stripped from him last month as a disciplinary measure for breaking quorum.

In a follow-up tweet, Ramos called out three of those Democrats, accusing them of selling out the rest of the conference.

"Today @jamestalarico was one of those Texas Dems who showed up at the Capitol to help Republicans pass anti-voter bills," Ramos said. "@jamestalarico was in DC 2 days ago with Dems and showed up in Austin with Republicans & @moodyforelpaso @RepMaryGonzalez to sell us out."

@briantylercohen Today @jamestalarico was one of those Texas Dems who showed up at the Capitol to help Republicans… https://t.co/iQXxTuQkys

— Representative Ana-Maria Ramos (@Ramos4Texas) 1628547533.0

On Monday, Talarico announced he had returned to Texas to "clean up [Gov.] Greg Abbott's latest messes" and said he was confident the Democrats' decision to go AWOL "shined a national spotlight on the TX voter suppression bill and pushed Congress closer to passing a federal voting rights act to override it."

I’m home!Our quorum break shined a national spotlight on the TX voter suppression bill and pushed Congress closer… https://t.co/gfGVyn7gEW

— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) 1628542787.0

Hours before lawmakers met at the statehouse, a district judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking Republican Gov. Greg Abbott's administration from following through on a promise to arrest any Democrats who returned to the state and drag them to the Capitol to make quorum so the legislature could open for business.

Some of the irate Democrats remaining in Washington, D.C., made note of this, criticizing the members of their "team" who went to the statehouse voluntarily even after a judge said they couldn't be forced to show up for work and make quorum.

"I've said this before… it's a Team Sport… now we see who plays what positions on the Team… The fact that some of us secured a Temporary Restraining Order to protect ALL of us, yet some are trying to please the Governor and His OPPRESSIVE Agenda?! JUST WOW! #txlege," Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Dallas) tweeted.

I’ve said this before… it’s a Team Sport… now we see who plays what positions on the Team… The fact that some of us… https://t.co/8BMUZY5Fe6

— Rep. Jasmine Crockett (@jasminefor100) 1628545785.0

"We have a vote this week in the US Senate on voting rights. They could at least wait until the vote. There's nothing so pressing ar [sic] this moment to show up. Not to mention the restraining order allows you to be working in your district instead of on the floor against your district," Crockett said.

@AHomayouniVA We have a vote this week in the US Senate on voting rights. They could at least wait until the vote.… https://t.co/Ptom0f2mIA

— Rep. Jasmine Crockett (@jasminefor100) 1628548332.0