Samantha Bee comes up with a dozen creative ways to kill the filibuster
Last week, "Senate Republicans once again took democracy behind the back of the barn and shot it in the face," using the filibuster to block a bipartisan Jan. 6 Capitol riot commission, Samantha Bee said on Wednesday's Full Frontal. "The truth is, there's nothing that can overcome Mitch McConnell's obstruction — he's so adept at clogging things up, he's the first human to be designated a fatberg."
"This was the first time during this congressional session that Republicans used the filibuster to block legislation, but it won't be the last," Bee said. "There's only one solution: We have to kill the filibuster. And when I say kill it, I mean, kill it. Burn it, strangle it, draw a bath and drop a plugged-in toaster on it, I do not care. The point is, the filibuster needs to die." She came up with a dozen ways to do the deed, but was agnostic on the murder method.
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.
Democrats could actually pass some huge priorities, like infrastructure spending, with a simple majority. "The bad news is one of those votes has to be Joe Manchin," Trevor Noah said at The Daily Show. "And it's not just infrastructure: If Joe Biden wants anything passed, from gun control to raising the minimum wage to making LeVar Burton the host of Jeopardy!, he has to get Joe Manchin on board. Basically, if the Democrats are Britney Spears, then Joe Manchin is their dad." They might resent him, but he's also the only reason they have their narrow majority, he noted. "So that's Joe Manchin: party-pooper, radically boring, and the most powerful man in America."
Bee focused on one big thing the Democrats could do without the filibuster: Save voting rights from the states restricting them.
The best thing viewers can do to save voting rights is vote, Bee said. "We change our laws by changing the people who make our laws."
-
Quentin Deranque: a student’s death energizes the French far rightIN THE SPOTLIGHT Reactions to the violent killing of an ultra-conservative activist offer a glimpse at the culture wars roiling France ahead of next year’s elections.
-
Secured vs. unsecured loans: how do they differ and which is better?the explainer They are distinguished by the level of risk and the inclusion of collateral
-
‘States that set ambitious climate targets are already feeling the tension’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Labor secretary’s husband barred amid assault probeSpeed Read Shawn DeRemer, the husband of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, has been accused of sexual assault
-
Trump touts pledges at 1st Board of Peace meetingSpeed Read At the inaugural meeting, the president announced nine countries have agreed to pledge a combined $7 billion for a Gaza relief package
-
NIH director Bhattacharya tapped as acting CDC headSpeed Read Jay Bhattacharya, a critic of the CDC’s Covid-19 response, will now lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
-
Witkoff and Kushner tackle Ukraine, Iran in GenevaSpeed Read Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held negotiations aimed at securing a nuclear deal with Iran and an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine
-
Pentagon spokesperson forced out as DHS’s resignsSpeed Read Senior military adviser Col. David Butler was fired by Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin is resigning
-
Judge orders Washington slavery exhibit restoredSpeed Read The Trump administration took down displays about slavery at the President’s House Site in Philadelphia
-
Hyatt chair joins growing list of Epstein files losersSpeed Read Thomas Pritzker stepped down as executive chair of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation over his ties with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell
-
Judge blocks Hegseth from punishing Kelly over videoSpeed Read Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for the senator to be demoted over a video in which he reminds military officials they should refuse illegal orders
