Writing about the U.S Senate in Federalist 62, James Madison said that one advantage of the body was “the additional impediment it must prove against improper acts of legislation.” The idea was that the House of Representatives would, by nature, pass bills based on the hot tempers of the moment, while the Senate would, by nature, cool those tempers down and ensure legislation was proper and to the benefit of everyone. This represents the genius of our founders, and for two centuries, it has helped to keep our country from sliding down dangerous paths.
Now, if Senate Democrats are successful at eliminating the 60-vote threshold for legislation, known as the filibuster, then the original vision of the Senate will be distorted, and our constitutional system will fall into turmoil. Thankfully, two Democrats — Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia — aren’t going along with their party’s schemes, and in doing so, are protecting our very system of governance.
