According to CNN, West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin said “shame on her” after Kamala Harris promised to eliminate the Senate filibuster in order to pass a national law on abortion. This comes after the Supreme Court sent the issue of abortion rights back to the states following the Dobbs decision.
Manchin now refuses to endorse Kamala Harris for president.
Speaking from the Capitol, the retiring senator chastised Harris’ decision to scrap the political procedure, stating, “She knows the filibuster is the Holy Grail of democracy. It’s the only thing that keeps us talking and working together. If she gets rid of that, then this would be the House on steroids.”
Now that Harris has vowed to gut the filibuster on this issue, Manchin said he wouldn’t back her for president.
“That ain’t going to happen,” he said. “I think that basically can destroy our country, and my country is more important to me than any one person or any one person’s ideology. … I think it’s the most horrible thing.”
Manchin’s comments come in the wake of Harris telling Wisconsin Public Radio this week, “We should eliminate the filibuster for Roe.”
Doing so would lower the threshold from 60 votes to a simple majority of 51 to advance legislation to protect abortion rights.
Manchin served as a Democrat for most of his career, before switching his party affiliation to independent this spring.
The longtime moderate Democrat announced on May 28 that he was leaving the party he’s called home for decades.
In a statement, Manchin accused both parties of embracing “partisan extremism” and “jeopardizing our democracy.”
“Today, our national politics are broken and neither party is willing to compromise to find common ground,” he added.
Late last year, Manchin, then the most vulnerable Democrat in the U.S. Senate, announced that he would not seek reelection. The decision all but guaranteed a Republican win in West Virginia’s senate race.
Defenders of the filibuster argue that it helps foster bipartisan cooperation in the Senate by requiring a supermajority for most legislation, unlike the House of Representatives where a simple majority can pass bills. Here are some examples:
The 2013 Bipartisan Budget Act – After the 2013 government shutdown, a bipartisan group of senators reached a budget deal led by Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). The deal, which avoided another shutdown, was only possible through consensus-building in the Senate, as filibuster rules forced both parties to negotiate.
The 2001 No Child Left Behind Act – This education reform law, passed under President George W. Bush, saw significant bipartisan collaboration, especially between Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.). The need for a supermajority in the Senate compelled both parties to work together on key reforms.
The 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act – This massive infrastructure bill passed during the Biden administration required bipartisan support in the Senate to overcome the filibuster. Moderate Democrats and Republicans collaborated on the legislation, which included major funding for roads, bridges and broadband expansion.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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