Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer are both now threatening a potentially perilous power grab if their party sweeps the elections this fall. Should they follow through, their threats to eliminate the Senate filibuster could upend the delicate balances that keep our constitutional system stable.
The filibuster, of course, is the longstanding Senate rule that allows 41 of the 100 senators to extend debate indefinitely on a bill or resolution, effectively blocking the proposal from passing. A staple of Senate procedure for two centuries, the filibuster ensures the privileges of a sizable minority against precipitous action by a bare majority. Used correctly, it promotes bipartisan consensus-building so matters of great weight will not be decided in fits of temporary partisan passion.
