Biden to announce vaccination mandate for all federal employees and contractors today

[uclaLabrat]

Honestly we need to just kick manchin out of the party already.

As has been discussed repeatedly, there is no scenario by which you remove Manchin from power (or the party and thus cede the chamber to McConnell) that by any objective measure improves the situation. It's the definition of cutting off the nose to spite the face and is petulant foot stomping. If you can't get him on board for change, you're basically stuck until you can get more senators in support of your agenda. As it stands, that won't happen unless other dems are elected. Whether that happens in 2022 remains to be seen.

 

[manly]

The filibuster was never part of the constitution, or a part of the founding father's vision. It's become the main reason nothing gets done legislation wise, and it's preventing us from moving forward as a nation. There is a reason a party is in the minority, the citizens don't want them in power, and they should not have the power to block the will of the citizens. That all the filibuster is, is a tool used to circumvent the will of the people. What you are afraid of is if the filibuster is removed, your party wouldn't be able to manipulate voting laws, and minority rule. Which is exactly what's been happening for decades.

Of course, if your party actually made policies for the good of the nation, it's citizens, and not for their party and power, things would be different.

Not to defend the filibuster or websucker, but Dems operate at a significant strategic disadvantage. The Great Compromise of 1787 ensures that the GOP will be overrepresented in the Senate. Sure it was originally designed to appease less populous states as opposed to political ideology; but in this century those low population states are virtually all "red" and will stay that way. What this means is the Dems were truly lucky to "regain" the Senate in 2020 (thanks Stacey Abrams), but the Senate math remains challenging until more demographic changes kick in.

For example, Florida and Arizona are currently lean-right (I know FL is the quintessential swing state, but it doesn't truly feel that way), but could become lean-blue within a few presidential election cycles. If or when Texas ever becomes lean-blue, the GOP as it's currently constructed will never be able to win a Presidential election. So you may conclude that in a rigged Senate, the filibuster is currently more useful to Democrats than to Republicans.

The fact that the GOP routinely legislates against the will of its own voters further strengthens this point. Agree or disagree on policy grounds, but Democrats largely legislate what's generally popular (for not only progressive voters, but even broadly speaking). GOP Senators basically operate as tools for the top 1% and largest corporations. So again, not saying I support the filibuster, but there are certainly some unintended consequences if you take it off the table.