West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin has once again noted that he will not sign on to a filibuster and he has criticized the hypocrisy of Democrats who loved the filibuster when they were out of power, but want to put back in place now that they’re in power. This was in the context of the Democrats’ Â For the People Act, which is a bill designed to federalize elections, make it easier to cheat, and easier for Democrats to win elections.
Not only did Manchin note that he intends to vote against the For the People Act, but he also noted that Democrats were being awfully hypocritical about the filibuster. He said:
As a reminder, just four short years ago, in 2017 when Republicans held control of the White House and Congress, President Donald Trump was publicly urging Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster. Then, it was Senate Democrats who were proudly defending the filibuster. Thirty-three Senate Democrats penned a letter to Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., warning of the perils of eliminating the filibuster.
That’s what is getting the most attention and it’s absolutely true. Democrats loved the filibuster when they were out of power, but now that they’re in power, they want to get rid of it and rewrite the rules to try to make sure they stay in power. However, what should be even more noteworthy is that Manchin is subtly echoing the argument that getting rid of the Senate filibuster is a threat to the continued existence of the United States. He continued:
It has been said by much wiser people than me that absolute power corrupts absolutely. Well, what I’ve seen during my time in Washington is that every party in power will always want to exercise absolute power, absolutely. Our founders were wise to see the temptation of absolute power and built in specific checks and balances to force compromise that serves to preserve our fragile democracy. The Senate, its processes and rules, have evolved over time to make absolute power difficult while still delivering solutions to the issues facing our country and I believe that’s the Senate’s best quality.
Yes, this process can be frustrating and slow. It will force compromises that are not always ideal. But consider the alternative. Do we really want to live in an America where one party can dictate and demand everything and anything it wants, whenever it wants?
So many Americans these days seem to take what we have in this country for granted, but Manchin is right when he says that we have a “fragile democracy” and that some level of compromise is necessary to maintain it. An America where people like AOC and Nancy Pelosi could force their socialistic and fascistic beliefs on the rest of the country without hope of relief would be an America doomed to split up.
John Hawkins is the author of 101 Things All Young Adults Should Know. You can find him on Parler here and on Twitter here.
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