Why Kyrsten Sinema's fears about a post-filibuster GOP may be exaggerated


Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) explained why she opposes nuking the filibuster in an op-ed published by The Washington Post on Tuesday night, citing fears that the Republican Party would rescind major Democrat-backed legislation, like sweeping voting reform measures or expanded health-care access or retirement benefits, and replace them with pared down, more restrictive laws.
In a rebuttal, New York's Jonathan Chait argues that Sinema's filibuster defense "relies on utterly false grounds." He writes that much of what Sinema said she wants to protect by preserving the 60-vote threshold, including funding for Medicare, Medicaid, and women's reproductive services, can be slashed via budget reconciliation, which, as Democrats displayed earlier this year when passing coronavirus relief funding, requires only a simple majority vote. And while Sinema also cites clean and air water regulations that can't be repealed through reconciliation, Chait points out that their enforcement can be "defunded, or simply curtailed through administrative neglect, neither of which is subject to filibustering."
Regardless, Chait doesn't think Republicans have much to gain in the long run in the absence of the filibuster. He notes the GOP didn't move to eliminate "the vast array of federal programs cherished by Democrats" the last two times they had a double majority in Congress and the presidency. That's because "nearly all those programs are popular" among voters, including many Republicans, making their demise too risky for GOP lawmakers. "A system in which both parties can advance their popular beliefs when they have full control of government therefore benefits disproportionately," he writes. Read Sinema's op-ed at The Washington Post and Chait's rebuttal at New York.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
‘We must empower young athletes with the knowledge to stay safe’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Fox’s Kilmeade sorry for ‘just kill’ homeless remark
Speed Read Kilmeade’s ‘rare on-air apology’ also served as Fox News’ response to the controversy
-
Russian drone tests Romania as Trump spins
Speed Read Trump is ‘resisting congressional plans to impose newer and tougher penalties on Russia’s energy sector’
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mount
Speed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own list
speed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battle
Speed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants