Short Termism In Power

Electoral and voting reform is the buzz word of the moment under President Biden .... the reason? 

Filibuster Use Has Increased In Recent Years

He can't push through certain legislature that he and the Democrats want, because he needs at least 60 senators to vote in favour, to prevent a filibuster blocking his bills in the Senate.

So he wants changes to the Senate rules to allow a simple majority (even if this by just the one tie-breaking vote of the vice-president, as would currently be the situation), to stop the opposition mounting a filibuster campaign .... To "filibuster" means to delay action on a bill or other issue by talking until it runs out of time to vote on it.

Currently, a minimum of 60 votes is needed to pass most legislation in the Senate (some legislation only needs a simple majority already to pass, under a Senate manoeuvrer called "reconciliation"), and this has been the case for decades (before the 1970's, unlimited debate was allowed, enabling opponents to block legislation by talking it out). This rule has frustrated governments of both political hues since the 1970's, but prevents partizan legislation being passed.

Now President Biden wants this changed to aid him, but its short sighted policy. The control of the Senate is not a permanent Democratic franchise .... as recently as three years ago in 2019, it was Trump and the Republicans who held a slim majority in the Senate, and it was President Donald Trump who called for the filibuster (as the 60 minimum rule is known), to be scrapped.

Fortunately the then Senate Majority leader, Mitch McConnell, refused to go for "the nuclear option" as it is known on Capitol Hill. Back then, the then Senator Biden warned that doing away with the filibuster would be "very dangerous", pointing out that his fellow Democrats have used the rule often to block Republican legislation. While way back in 2005, Mr Biden had also said that any attempt to eliminate the filibuster was "an example of the arrogance of power".

As usual, he's now changed his tune while in power, simply to try and gain a short term political objective. So now its President Biden who is calling for that "nuclear option" (because it suits him today, as for tomorrow, well that's for someone else to worry about) .... however he has little or no chance of getting the rules changed, not least because some of his fellow Democrats are against it, and given the history of those who have wanted the voting changes, its probably for the best that he doesn't.

The late Senator Robert Byrd, who was a close personal friend of President Biden, once said that "We must never, ever, ever, ever tear down the only wall, the necessary fence, that this nation has against the excesses of the executive branch, and the resultant haste and tyranny of the majority."

It also seems likely that the majority of the seats in the Senate will pass to the Republicans in the summer, so this is a short term issue with a short term advantage at best, and after that the Democrats will certainly want to be able to block the Senate again ... memories are short in politics.