Nation
Poll: Only 41% of voters favor eliminating filibuster
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.
Conservatives within the House GOP are taking on party leaders by engaging in an unprecedented blockade, effectively paralyzing the chamber’s legislative business. The standoff began after a typically routine procedural vote failed on Tuesday, prompting conservatives to seize control of the floor.
At the center of the dispute is the debt limit deal struck between House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Biden. Some conservatives feel that the procedures used to pass the deal in the House last week did not align with the agreement they had reached with McCarthy. This agreement granted conservatives more influence over decision-making and the operational procedures involved in moving the bill forward, and they now accuse leadership of violating these commitments.
The tension escalated when Freedom Caucus members and their allies joined forces with Democrats in voting against a rule that would have allowed several bills, including two addressing the Biden administration’s gas stove limitations, to reach the House floor. This marked the first time in two decades that a rules vote had failed.
Representative Matt Gaetz voiced his frustration, expressing concern that the fundamental commitments made to secure McCarthy’s speakership had been disregarded due to the debt limit deal. Gaetz also criticized the punishment meted out to Representative Andrew Clyde for his stance against the rule that allowed the debt limit increase.
According to reports from Fox News, Gaetz said, “I am very aggrieved at the punishment that was delivered to my colleague Andrew Clyde on his bill regarding pistol braces… for him standing with us and the votes we took against the rule that allowed the debt limit to be increased.”
Gaetz pledged to bring the House floor to a grinding halt, anticipating a prolonged shutdown.
“We took down the rule because we’re frustrated at the way this place is operating,” stated Rep. Gaetz. “We’re concerned that the fundamental commitments that allowed Kevin McCarthy to assume the speakership have been violated as a consequence of the debt limit deal,” he added.
The era of the Imperial Speakership is OVER!
I’m done with their failure theater. https://t.co/Ceovz4C03U pic.twitter.com/7jNJpfRz4Z
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) June 6, 2023
The conservatives’ grievances extend beyond the procedural vote, with accusations that McCarthy has deviated from the undisclosed agreement made in January. Specific concessions that the dissident Republicans seek from McCarthy remain undisclosed, but they emphasize the need to restore unity and renegotiate their role within the party.
While McCarthy met with members of the Freedom Caucus, little progress was reported, and it remains uncertain if any votes will take place on the following day. The group insists that the restoration of a fair and inclusive process is essential to rectify the perceived failures of the previous week.
As the GOP leadership grapples with the repercussions of this internal standoff, the Republican majority’s effectiveness hangs in the balance. The path forward hinges on whether leadership is willing to reciprocate and address the concerns of the the dissenting group within the conservative ranks, ultimately determining the future of the party’s legislative agenda.
Follow Alexander Carter on Twitter @AlexCarterDC for more!
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