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Poll: Only 41% of voters favor eliminating filibuster

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United States Congress

Amid a push by Democrats to scrap the filibuster, a new poll reports that only 41% of likely voters actually want to change the age-old Senate procedure.

The survey of 1,000 likely voters from Rasmussen Reports published Tuesday also found that more voters oppose the proposed change to the legislative filibuster.

Asked if they “favor or oppose the plan to change the rules and eliminate the filibuster,” 49% of respondents expressed opposition to ditching the legislative hurdle. Additionally, 11% said they were unsure, the conservative-leaning pollster reports.

When it comes down to respondents’ party affiliation, 65% of Democrats favored the proposed change and 68% of Republicans opposed it. It is also worth noting that 59% identifying as “other” opposed it, whereas 29% favored it.

As The Hill explained, Senate Democrats would need all 50 of its caucus members to carry out the “nuclear option” to scrap or alter the rules on the 60-vote legislative filibuster. While President Joe Biden recently came out in support of changing the 60-vote threshold requirement for most legislation, which he referred to as a “relic of the Jim Crow-era,” Senate Democrats don’t have enough support since a number of them remain wary or opposed to reforms.

The survey conducted between March 28 and 29 also asked likely voters if it was more important “for the government to operate efficiently” or “to preserve our constitutional system of checks and balances,” for which the results were more conclusive. While only 24% of respondents chose the former, a solid 67% said the latter was more important—with 9% being unsure.

Looking at party affiliations, most of those with each of the affiliation options were in agreement that preserving checks and balances is more important—with 78% of Republicans, 53% of Democrats, and 70% of others choosing that option.

According to Rasmussen, it should be noted, the survey results have a three-point margin of error.

You can follow Douglas Braff on Twitter @DouglasPBraff.

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BREAKING: Disney drops suit challenging special district status in settlement with Florida, DeSantis

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A settlement was reached Wednesday in the two-year lawsuit over who controls the special governing district that encompasses the Walt Disney World Resort, which includes Disney dropping its lawsuitsagainst a newly created tourism board.

“We are glad that Disney has dropped its lawsuits against the new Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and conceded that their last-minute development agreements are null, void, and unenforceable,” Bryan Griffin, DeSantis’ communications director, said in a statement. “No corporation should be its own government. Moving forward, we stand ready to work with Disney and the District to help promote economic growth, family-friendly tourism, and accountable government in Central Florida.”

Fox News explains the dispute began “after Disney’s criticism of Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act – derided by critics as the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill – prompted the DeSantis administration to revoke the special Disney-controlled tax district that gave the entertainment autonomy over its theme parks in the region.”

“No corporation should be its own government,” Bryan Griffin, a spokesman for the governor, said in an emailed statement. “Moving forward, we stand ready to work with Disney and the District to help promote economic growth, family-friendly tourism, and accountable government in Central Florida.”

Misleadingly deemed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, prohibited the teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity to young students in the state. National Review reports:

After receiving pressure from employees, Disney’s then-CEO, Bob Chapek, said that the company’s leaders had been opposed to the bill “from the outset,” and Disney declared that the legislation “should never have passed and should never have been signed into law.”

In February 2023, DeSantis signed House Bill 9B, which established the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District to replace Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District. Reedy Creek was a 56-year-old special taxing district that allowed Disney control its own development, regulations, building codes, and other municipal services.

Lawmakers voted to give the governor the power to appoint the district’s board members.

However, before a DeSantis-appointed board took over last March, the Disney-controlled board handed control of the district’s development over to Disney…

As part of the settlement, Disney acknowledges that the development agreement approved by the outgoing Reedy Creek board has “no legal effect or enforceability.”

As for the media reports that DeSantis had been humiliated and out-maneuvered by Disney, Griffin said that “as usual, the media were wrong.”

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