From slavery to segregation, the Senate filibuster is very much racist

[Nevilledog]

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Tweet text:
Sophia A. Nelson
@IAmSophiaNelson
Today’s blocking of the #January6thCommission by #SenateRepublicans just proves my point over and over again. Get rid of the damn #FILIBUSTER #FilibusterFriday My take @theGrio Read:

From slavery to segregation, the Senate filibuster is very much racist
The Senate filibuster, which has been making headlines as of late, has existed to disenfranchise Black voters.
thegrio.com
2:31 PM · May 28, 2021

https://thegrio.com/2021/03/25/senate-filibuster-racist/


Most people try not to focus on what the U.S. Senate does, because candidly, it does very little. Over the past decade or more, the Senate has become a hostile, divisive, and ultra political body under the force of now Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell.

Simply put, the Senate passes little legislation. When it does, it is almost always a straight party-line vote. From the confirmation of our last controversial Supreme Court Justice, Amy Coney Barrett, to the most recent example of the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus bill, we saw a partisan vote on both sides.

Republicans for Barrett 52-48 and Democrats for the COVID-19 relief bill 51-49. This is not how the United States Senate should work. The Senate is broken and everybody knows it.

One of the biggest reasons why the Senate is so broken is a parliamentary procedure known as the filibuster, which has become a hot topic in Washington and national politics given the Senate’s inaction and calls to abolish the procedure over claims of its racist origin.

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[Funtatlaguy]

1. I say the Dems should give or Pay Manchin whatever he wants to get rid of it.

It’s THAT important.
Otherwise, theGOP will steal the House and Senate in 2022thru their new crooked state suppression and election oversight state laws across the country.

[Amishman]

2. No, it isn't

It is a procedural tool and tradition. The fact that it has been used to block racial justice does not make it fundamentally racist.

The past history of segregated seating on buses doesn't make them racist either.

I get the filibuster is an extremely frustrating obstacle right now, and while I have been opposed to eliminating it, I'm warming up to some sort of middle ground to soften it.

But what annoys me is the current kneejerk reaction of trying to make everything a racial issue. Yes we have some big racism problems right now - especially with law enforcement - but not everything is about race.

[colsohlibgal]

3. Agreed

It’s enticing, doing away with the Filibuster. But isn’t that a double sided sword?

If the Republicans get a small edge subsequently, then they can just do away with whatever we do.

Damned if we don’t but maybe Damned pretty quickly after if we do.