How Senate Democrats can change the “Byrd rule” to pass their legislation
This morning Republican Senator Rob Portman appeared on CNN and tried to discuss the “Byrd rule” which limits the ways in which reconciliation can be used. Portman was attempting to explain that by changing this rule, Senate Democrats will be able to pass just about any legislation they want, with just fifty votes. In response, CNN cut him off.
Palmer Report has spent weeks pointing out that Senate Democrats don’t actually need to kill the filibuster in order to pass their legislation. They can change the rules for reconciliation, or for that matter change the rules for how and when the filibuster can be used. The “Byrd rule” is just one of the ways that Senate Democrats can, and definitely will, get all of their legislation passed. So why was Portman cut off when he tried to talk about this?
Keep in mind that the mainstream media has spent weeks pushing the narrative that if Senate Democrats don’t kill the filibuster, they won’t be able to pass anything. This narrative is as simplistic as it is false. But it makes for good television, because there’s no better way to scare people into staying tuned in, than to portray a doomsday scenario that only has one magic wand solution, and then portray that solution as not going to happen.
It’s one thing for the media to push the ratings-friendly false narrative that everything hangs on killing the filibuster. It’s another thing for the media to begin cutting people off who attempt to explain why this narrative is false. The viewing public simply deserves better.
