Pennsylvania Democratic Sen.
John Fetterman reversed his long-standing position on the 60-vote legislative filibuster on Monday, writing in a Washington Post op-ed that his past efforts to abolish the procedural rule were a mistake.
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Fetterman, who campaigned heavily in 2022 on eliminating the threshold to pass key Democratic legislation, acknowledged that he misjudged the long-term impact of altering Senate rules during his first term in office.
"Halfway through my first term, I now recognize how important the filibuster is and the state our country would be in without it," said Sen.
John Fetterman, D-Pa.
The senator noted that his previous push to scrap the threshold stemmed from a belief that political opponents would never compromise.
He added that he now aligns with former West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin's view that eliminating the rule serves party power over broader governance.
"I thought Democrats were not being ruthless the way Republicans were, and we needed to be on that level if we were going to relieve the anger that voters were feeling," said Sen.
John Fetterman, D-Pa.
Fetterman reflected on how short-term legislative goals previously blinded lawmakers to the wider consequences of removing protection for minority views in the legislative chamber.
"Upon reflection, the pursuit of those short-term wins clouded the bigger picture and lasting impact of a Senate without the filibuster — a Senate that ignored the voices of the minority and everyday people," said Sen.
