Sign the petition: Tell Senate Democrats to fix the filibuster.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
In 2020, Democrats will take back the White House and the Senate (and protect the House.) But we won't be able to make the critical changes we need unless we fix the filibuster.
We simply cannot allow Mitch McConnell and the Republicans to veto every good idea proposed by a Democratic President and a Democratic Congress.
Every issue we care about is at stake.
Sign the petition and let's build a grassroots demand for change. »
Note: This petition is open to residents of the United States, and a valid U.S. zip code is needed to submit the form. This petition is sponsored by []. Sponsorship of this petition does not constitute an endorsement between participating candidates and organizations. By signing, you may receive emails from these sponsors updating you on the progress of this campaign and other important projects. (You may, of course, unsubscribe at any time.)
Background
In the 2020 elections, defeating Donald Trump, taking back control of the U.S. Senate, and maintaining control of the U.S. House of Representatives are essential goals for Democrats.
However, even if we achieve all three of these goals, a new Democratic President and Congress won't be able to get much done unless we do something else first: fix the filibuster.
In 2019, House Democrats have passed numerous landmark bills – election reform, a $15 minimum wage, anti-discrimination legislation, protections for and a pathway to citizenship for immigrants, universal background checks for gun purchases, and much more. However, every single one of these bills has gone nowhere in the U.S. Senate, where Mitch McConnell has proudly called himself the "Grim Reaper" of progressive legislation.
Even if Democrats win a Senate majority in 2020, that won’t change if McConnell and Senate Republicans are allowed to exercise a minority veto in the U.S. Senate to block every single piece of legislation Democrats attempt to pass. It’s an archaic rule that doesn’t exist in the Constitution and allows just 41 Senators (who could represent as few as 11.1% of Americans) to block anything.
Republicans haven’t shied away from unilaterally changing the Senate rules so they can pass their top priorities. In 2001, they unilaterally changed the rules so they could pass the Bush tax cuts for the super-rich with just 51 votes. More tax giveaways to the wealthiest and giant corporations followed in 2003 and 2017. And after stealing a Supreme Court seat from President Obama, Republicans changed the rules to ram through Supreme Court justices with 51 votes.
When Democrats get elected, will they have the same determination to deliver an agenda for the people that Republicans have had to do the bidding of the privileged and powerful?
If you support taking on the climate crisis, universal background checks for gun purchases, paycheck fairness for women, protections for people with pre-existing health conditions, or restoring power to the people over big corporations and billionaires – a Democratic Senate must vote to fix the filibuster and save our democracy.
Sign the petition to Senate Democrats: Fix the filibuster when you take back power.
NOTE: Population % above refers to total population of 21 smallest states, as of 2018 Census estimates.
This petition sponsored by:
Jeff MerkleyU.S. Senator from Oregon
Daily Kos