Last night the Senate parliamentarian ruled that the Senate budget reconciliation rules prohibited the inclusion of the $15 minimum wage increase in the reconciliation process.
This ruling shows that the entire anti-majoritarian rules structure in the Senate needs to change.
The American people voted in overwhelming numbers to hand Democrats the Senate majority. We should be able to take a vote on a minimum wage without being blocked by antiquated rules.
Since Republicans are set on using their 50 votes to block progress in the Senate, that means the filibuster has to go.
Even while we explore possible Option B’s to achieve the goal of a living wage for workers within the reconciliation process — such as penalties on employers who don’t pay a living wage — this problem will come up again and again if we don’t take action. The agenda the American people voted for must not be obstructed by obscure Senate processes.