Democrats' attempts to circumvent filibuster will not be 'cost-free,' McConnell warns


Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday that even if Democrats' attempts to circumvent the filibuster fail, they will not be "harmless" or "cost-free," ABC News reported.
The Senate began debating President Biden's ambitious — and likely doomed — voting rights legislation Tuesday. Under current Senate rules, Democrats would need a supermajority of 60 votes to stop a GOP filibuster.
All 50 Senate Republicans oppose the legislation.
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 originally introduced two voting rights bills — the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act — but the House combined the two into one bill, which is now before the Senate.
In a Jan. 11 speech, Biden called on Senate Democrats to alter the rules to allow themselves to end the filibuster with a simple, 51-vote majority. This rule change would itself require only 51 votes, but Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) both oppose the carveout.
Politico reported Saturday that Sinema said she supports the bill but opposes changing the filibuster because Republicans could use the same tactic to repeal the legislation next time they're in the majority.
McConnell warned that even though Democrats' efforts were likely to fail, their actions could still undermine democratic norms and increase the probability that lawmakers from both parties will make similar attempts in the future.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
"Too many of our colleagues across the aisle still want to respond to a 50-50 Senate with a rule-breaking power grab," he said Tuesday, adding that "voting to break this institution will not be a free vote or a harmless action, even if efforts fail."
"Voting to break the Senate is not cost-free, just because of a bipartisan majority of your colleagues have the wisdom to stop you," he said.
In 2017, McConnell implemented a carveout similar to the one he now opposes to end a Democratic filibuster of then-Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch.
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
October 11 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include exercising voting rights, weight-loss drugs for the military, and ICE at a job fair
-
Remaking the military: the war on diversity and ‘fat generals’
Talking Point The US Secretary of War addressed military members on ‘warrior ethos’
-
The delightful, smutty world of Jilly Cooper
In the Spotlight Millions mourn the ‘Mrs Kipling of sex’
-
Trump DOJ indicts New York AG Letitia James
Speed Read New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted as Trump’s Justice Department pursues charges against his political opponents
-
Judge blocks Trump’s Guard deployment in Chicago
Speed Read The president is temporarily blocked from federalizing the Illinois National Guard or deploying any Guard units in the state
-
Trump urges jail for Illinois, Chicago leaders
Speed Read The Texas National Guard begin operations in the Chicago area
-
Bondi stonewalls on Epstein, Comey in Senate face-off
Speed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi denied charges of using the Justice Department in service of Trump’s personal vendettas
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats