John,
Last week, 35 senators voted to block the bipartisan, independent January 6th commission.
54 senators voted in favor.
There are two big problems evident in this vote: the anti-democratic filibuster, which enabled a minority of senators to block legislation supported by a majority of the Senate and a majority of Americans, and the fact that 35 senators took the cowardly and disgraceful position that we don’t need a thorough investigation of a deadly insurrection at the US Capitol.
We can’t immediately fix the second problem, but there is a solution for the first: it’s past time to get rid of the filibuster—a racist relic that undermines majority rule and incentivizes obstructionism. Frankly, we’re running out of time to save our democracy, and additional delays are wasting a precious window for reform and accountability.
It’s difficult to overstate how serious this is. Donald Trump advanced the Big Lie that the election was “stolen,” inciting his supporters to attack the Capitol. Now Trump’s allies in the Senate—many of whom also advanced that lie—have stood in the way of an independent investigation into a deadly attack on our democracy.
And that’s all thanks to a racist, outdated relic that’s not even in the Constitution.
And this is far from the only important piece of legislation that is likely to be blocked by the filibuster. Voting rights, campaign finance reform, statehood for Washington, DC, and other crucial measures to protect and repair our democracy could be blocked in coming weeks if the filibuster is allowed to continue.
Read and share CREW’s report about ending the filibuster—on Facebook, Twitter, or by forwarding this email.
Last week’s vote to block the commission was a shameful example of cowardice and a broken system. Let it be the last time that the filibuster gets in the way of accountability, democracy, and a better way forward.
Thank you,
Noah Bookbinder
President, CREW
