Dems Used Filibuster in the Middle of Trying to Destroy Filibuster

Dems Used Filibuster in the Middle of Trying to Destroy Filibuster

On the same day that the Democrats failed in their effort to eliminate the Senate’s filibuster rule, Democrat senators used the filibuster to prevent a Republican bill from coming up for a vote.

The Republican bill introduced by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) to reinstitute sanctions on Russia’s Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline to Germany failed to receive the necessary 60 votes to overcome the filibuster, even though the bill received bipartisan support.

According to reporting from The Hill:

“Senators voted 55-44 on Cruz’s legislation, falling short of the 60 votes needed for it to pass. Democratic Sens. Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.), Maggie Hassan (N.H.), Mark Kelly (Ariz.), Jacky Rosen (Nev.) and Raphael Warnock (Ga.) joined every Republican save Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) in voting for the bill.

The vote on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which will carry gas from Russia to Germany, comes at a delicate moment for White House as it navigates renewed tensions with Moscow over its buildup of troops on the border with Ukraine.”

Senator Cruz has warned that, without the passage of his bill placing the sanctions on the Russian pipeline to discourage Russian aggression, Ukraine could be wiped off the map. The Ukrainian government also supposed the bill and opposes the pipeline, which would deprive the country of the natural gas transit fees that it currently imposes on Russia for moving natural gas through Ukraine.

On the same day, January 14th, it became clear that the Democrats’ attempt to eliminate the filibuster was doomed to fail, as two members of their party — Senators Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) — have made it clear on multiple occasions that they are staunchly opposed to ending or weakening the rule. Rumors have also been circulating that other Democrat senators also oppose changing the filibuster rule, but have not spoken publicly against it for fear of backlash from other members of their party.

As the Senate is currently split 50-50, enacting the change would require the support of all 50 Democrat senators, plus the tie-breaking vote from Kamala Harris.

The Democrats have always loved using the filibuster, it has been a major part of their strategy every time they were in the minority on any issue. The fact that they are using it now, while trying to get rid of it, is just further evidence of their hypocrisy.

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