John,
The filibuster must go.
The filibuster, which is a Senate procedure that allows a minority of senators to block legislation that doesn’t have 60 votes in support, is a modern invention with a racist history. It is not just anti-democratic—it’s being exploited by partisan obstructionists who want our democracy to stay broken, and who are using it to block necessary voting, campaign finance and other democracy reforms.
If we want to save our democracy, the filibuster needs to go. Read and share CREW’s new report on the filibuster.
I worked as a counsel on the Senate Judiciary Committee for eight years, and I saw the arguments for keeping the filibuster as a check on tyranny by a bare, partisan majority. For years, I resisted the idea of getting rid of the filibuster, but it has become clear that these old arguments are no longer enough: killing the filibuster is necessary to preserve our democracy.
The filibuster doesn’t just undermine majority rule—it incentivizes obstructionism and upsets the Constitution’s balance of power by disrupting Congress’ ability to legislate. Just look at how it’s caused a nosedive in congressional productivity and limited the number of bills that can pass:
What’s more, it was invented by racists to serve racist ends, and was used for nearly 100 years by white supremacists to prevent Congress from addressing state-sanctioned violence against Black Americans and the wholesale disenfranchisement of Black communities. Now, without voting and democracy reforms that can only be passed if the filibuster is eliminated, this anti-democratic procedure may enable a white minority to take irreversible steps to ensure itself a long-term grip on power in this country.
For these reasons, and more, it’s time for the filibuster to go. If we want to see real reform, in the form of the For the People Act, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, DC Statehood and more, the filibuster cannot continue. Read CREW’s new report for more. We’ll be in touch soon with ways you can help build momentum for ending the filibuster and saving our democracy.
Thank you,
Noah Bookbinder
President, CREW
