John Oliver urges Democrats to get rid of the filibuster if they take control of the Senate, and the A.V. Club reports:
Still, as Oliver noted, the growing call to abolish this 60-vote threshold (which, despite said fringe’s go-to Constitutional argument) is not anywhere in the Constitution, isn’t without risk. One red flag—Donald Trump supports it, a sobering reminder that, as Oliver sums it up, “there is just nothing that can make you question one of your beliefs quite like Donald Trump unexpectedly sharing it.” He also noted that abolishing the filibuster in judicial nominations is how Republicans were able to cram Justice “Sourpuss J. Boofsalot” onto the Supreme Court.
Still, as Oliver went on to dissect, it’s still time for this minority-(not that one)-coddling relic to go, what with it currently being used by McConnell and the GOP to turn the Senate’s theoretical informed and vigorous debate into a sick joke where Mitch McConnell can just stuff any bill he doesn’t like (gun control, paycheck fairness, the Obamacare public option, probably something about not torturing kittens for profit) deep into the sweaty pockets of his grim reaper robe.
Taking the stage (on his stage) of a mocked-up Senate floor to fast-forward through all the greatest hits of a really good old-school filibuster, Oliver ultimately made his case to end the practice by gradually unraveling into a disheveled-yet-persuasive wreck, his bucket-peeing appeal finally collapsing with him, the anguished words “incredibly fucking stupid” still ringing throughout the land.
